As she stood in front of her research poster at the Virginia State Capitol, Mallory Thompson felt both excitement and responsibility. The University of Mary Washington biology major wasn’t just sharing findings from months of research and lab work, she was advocating for the future of cancer treatment.

“It was a little daunting, as I never imagined my research would take me to the Capitol to speak with legislators,” Thompson said. “But honestly, I had a great time! I loved sharing my research with attendees who showed interest in my poster and asked questions. It’s exciting to think that my work might help people understand that conventional cancer therapies aren’t always enough, and exploring other treatments could be a key to reducing recurrence rates.”

Thompson, a junior, was one of three Mary Washington students selected to present a poster at the inaugural Undergraduate Research Showcase, held last week in Richmond. Seniors Hannah Shipp and Ada Moses, both psychology majors, also presented research, which explored how visual distractions impact test performance.

Hosted by the Network for Undergraduate Research in Virginia (NURVa), the event brought together student researchers from 16 state colleges and universities, with more than 30 projects on display. Read more.