2025 Annual Student Research Day Award Winners
The Kentucky State University (KSU) School of Business and Center for Economic Education and Financial Literacy proudly hosted the Annual Student Research Day and Awards Banquet on April 24, 2025. The event spotlighted outstanding student research across various disciplines and celebrated academic excellence with posters, oral presentations, paper competitions, and faculty recognition.
Held in David H. Bradford Hall and culminating in an evening banquet at the Carl M. Hill Student Center Ballroom, this year’s program was themed, “Linking Teaching and Research in the Classroom to Enhance Student Learning Outcomes.” Students presented original research through oral presentations, posters, and written papers, and were mentored throughout the research process by KSU faculty members.
“This tradition showcases the intellectual curiosity and talent of our students,” said Dr. Gary Stratton, Chair of the School of Business. “It’s a proud moment for our faculty and our university.”
Award Winners
Poster Competition
- 1st Place: Autumn Scott
Title: “Data Verification: Transparency in Contemporary Research”
Faculty Mentor: Mr. Donald Sutcliffe III
- 2nd Place: Randi Neal
Title: SWOT Analysis: The Rise and Fall of Blockbuster Inc.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Sait Sarr
- 3rd Place: Sudha Bhandari
Title: Assessing Site Sustainability for Elderberry Cultivation as a Sustainable Land Reclamation
Strategy on Reclaimed Coal Mine Lands in Eastern Kentucky
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Buddhi Gyawali
Graduate Paper Competition Winner
- Ifeoluwa Durowaiye
Title: From Numbers to Strategy: Using Business Analytics as a Teaching Tool to Empower Student
Entrepreneurs
Faculty Mentor: Dr. James Obielodan
Oral Presentation Competition
In a rare and impressive outcome, the oral presentation category concluded with an eight-way tie, recognizing exceptional scholarship across a wide range of topics:
- Joshua Snorton
Title: The Impact of Tariffs on The Global Economy
Faculty Mentor: Dr. James Obielodan
- Benjamin Zingg
Title: Piperideine-6-Carboxylate (P6C) and Other Lysine Degradation Pathway Intermediates:
An ab initio Computational Chemistry Study
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michael F. Wempe
- Deepak Khatri
Title: Biochar and Late Season Nitrogen Fertilization Effect on Soybean Yield and Seed Composition
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Buddhi Gyawali
- Heaven Mukutu
Title: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Enhancing Business Competitiveness in
the Digital Age
Faculty Mentor: Dr. James Obielodan
- Katrina Frailey
Title: Lumumba’s Strategic Management Plan for Growth
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Abdul Turay
- Wanda Stevenson
Title: The Role of Stakeholders in Shaping Corporate Governance Practices and Ethical Decision
Making
Faculty Mentor: Dr. James Obielodan
- Lavar Miller Jr.
Title: The Role of Stakeholders in Shaping Corporate Governance Practices and Ethical Decision
Making
Faculty Mentor: Dr. James Obielodan
- Leon Muller
Title: Analysis of the Impact of Tariffs and Recent Trade Wars on the Global Economy
Faculty Mentor: Dr. James Obielodan
Faculty Recognition
Faculty awards were also announced during the banquet. Dr. Amanda Fickey received the Teaching-Research Award in recognition of her dedication to integrating scholarly work into her teaching. Dr. Fickey’s research interests include economic geography, diverse and alternative economies, entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial education ecosystems, financial literacy, economic development, world cultural and political geography, human geography, and Appalachian Studies.
She has taught in these areas at institutions including the University of Kentucky, Kentucky Entrepreneurial Coaches Institute, Union Commonwealth University, the University of the District of Columbia Community College, and Kentucky State University. Dr. Fickey is a past recipient of the Women in Geography Education Award from the National Council for Geographic Education and holds a Certificate in Outstanding Teaching from the University of Kentucky.
Dr. James Obielodan was honored with the Scholar Award for excellence in mentorship and research contributions. Dr. Obielodan’s research interests include the strategic use of technology for competitive advantage, management of organizational knowledge and learning, the impact of information technologies on entrepreneurship in emerging economies, and enterprise systems (ERP).
At Kentucky State University, Dr. Obielodan has served in several leadership roles, including Director of Graduate Studies, MBA Program Coordinator, and Interim Chair of the School of Business. He was also selected as a Faculty Fellow at the Center for Innovation in Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (CITLA). His teaching experience includes appointments at Western Michigan University, William Tyndale College, and Lansing Community College. In addition, he held administrative positions at Michigan State University as Manager of the Faculty Facility for Creative Computing and Manager of Instructional and Technology Support Services.
Dr. Abdul Turay, founder of the event, praised the quality of this year’s entries.
“Student research enhances academic knowledge and builds essential skills. This conference is about more than awards—it’s about growth, engagement, and preparing our students to lead,” he said.
The School of Business and the Center for Economic Education and Financial Literacy extend thanks to all students, faculty, and staff who contributed to making the 2025 Student Research Day a success.
For more information, contact Dr. Abdul Turay at (502) 597-6708 or abdul.turay@kysu.edu.
