Five University of Mary Washington political science students recently presented their research papers at the Ninth Annual Virginia Political Science Student Research Conference, held at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond on April 10.

The students and their papers are:

•  Mariah Young of Chesapeake, Va., “Do “Black Lives Matter” to Media?: A Quantitative Analysis of Race and Language in the Reporting of the Ferguson Protests.” Young is a senior political science and journalism double major, and is a graduate of Great Bridge High School.

•  Ciara Peacock, of Roanoke, Va., “The Unheard Voices of U.S. K-12 Education Policy: No Child Left Behind and Students’ Perspectives on Public Education.” Peacock is a senior political science major, and is a graduate of The Emma Willard School.

• Bree Fines, of Stafford, Va., “Origins of the American Public’s Perception of Chinese Military Threat.” Fines is a junior international affairs major and a graduate of Stafford High School.

• Benjamin Hermerding, of Brainerd, Minn., “Not Your Grandpa’s Parties: The Effect of Post-Materialism on American Political Parties in Virginia.” Hermerding is a senior political science major and an Alvey Scholar at UMW. He is a graduate of Brainerd Senior High School.

• Jonathan Polson, of Alexandria, Va., “The Effect of Television News Consumption on Governmental Approval.” Polson is a senior political science and journalism double major and a graduate of Bishop Ireton High School.

The first paper was prepared under the direction of Chad Murphy, assistant professor of political science, the second paper was prepared under the direction of Rosalyn Cooperman, associate professor of political science, and the final three papers were prepared under the direction of Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science and director of the UMW Center for Leadership and Media Studies.