Student-led projects bring ‘main character energy’ to annual Crafton Hills College Student Research Conference

Publish Date: Dec. 5, 2025

Crafton Hills College’s annual Student Research Conference on Dec. 5 brought months of hard work to life when students presented their research projects to their peers and site faculty and staff.

The various projects discussed are part of College Honors Institute (CHI) course curriculum requirements. They included Dr. T.L. Brink and Dr. Danae Hart’s poster presentation on “Microaggression and Age of Perpetrator,” which discussed differences between a microaggression committed by a 65-year-old professor compared to a 25-year-old educator, and a look at a lack of representation in movies of positive South Asian storytelling.

“It’s inspiring to see what our students are capable of,” said Honors Institute Coordinator Judy Cannon. “Often, we find that students will take the projects they started at Crafton and continue to develop them when they transfer to a four-year college or their graduate programs.

“What they are starting here is a great foundation of what they will be doing as they continue on with their education or career,” she continued.

Each Honors student was paired with a mentor to help with research and findings. Many were from the Roadrunner family, while support networks came from nearby universities, including Cal State San Bernardino and UC Riverside.

Students poured their hearts into each presentation, with some drawing from personal experiences like Dani Black, a 31-year-old social justice major from Highland. Her presentation titled “The Silver Screen Native” provided a critical look at how indigenous communities are misrepresented in mainstream media and was inspired by conversations with her friends.

“Over time I developed a series of friendships where we’ve had convos [conversations] about their cultures being ‘lost,’” she explained. “If we don’t get their story, we’re not getting the whole picture.”

Crafton’s College Honors Institute provides highly motivated students the opportunity to challenge and deepen their scholarship, creativity and commitment. Students selected for the Institute must meet program criteria, such as maintaining a 3.25 minimum cumulative GPA and engage in community service.

To learn more about the program, go to www.craftonhills.edu/honors or contact Judy Cannon by email at honors@craftonhills.edu or call 909-389-3500.