Hastings College Students and Professor Recognized at National Convention

Photo Provided By Hastings College: Attending the 2026 Alpha Chi national convention included (from left) Dr. Jessica Henry, Nickytha Georges, Sophia Lee and Catie Reed. 

Press Release

The Hastings College chapter of Alpha Chi, the all-discipline academic honorary, participated in the national Alpha Chi convention on March 11-13, 2026, in Orlando, Florida. Sophia Lee, a junior wildlife biology major, received a national presentation award for the best presentation in Health Sciences, and the group’s advisor, Dr. Jessica Henry, received one of seven national distinguished service awards.

Lee, of Gardena, California, presented her project titled “Research on a CMOS-based Microfluidic Point-of-Care Testing Device.” Lee discussed her contributions to an innovative international research project centered on the development of a point-of-care testing device with multi-pathogenic detections that incorporates both microfluidics and filter-free CMOS sensor technology. 

She was awarded the Kathryn Hoyle Bradley Prize for the best presentation in the Health Sciences. 

“I am grateful to have had the opportunity to attend Alpha Chi’s National Convention this year,” Lee said. “It was an unforgettable experience. I was able to represent Hastings College on the national stage and network with fellow Alpha Chi members from various chapters. I am a strong believer in the importance of collaboration. By sharing my research and learning from my peers, I’ve gained new insights. I am glad I was able to relay the profound impact that Hastings College has had on my life.”

Nickytha Georges, a senior accounting major from Nassau, The Bahamas, presented her project titled “Implications of Financial Misrepresentation: Detection, Regulation, and Prevention.” Nickytha investigated corporate fraud, specifically how companies bend the rules, why people commit accounting fraud, and how watchdogs catch them. 

Catie Reed, a junior chemistry major from Firth, Nebraska, presented her project titled “Recruitment and Retention of Healthcare Providers in Nebraska: Insights from Medicine, Pharmacy, and Dentistry.” Reed was challenged to discover how healthcare providers and community leaders view the challenges of recruiting and retaining healthcare professionals in rural Nebraska so she worked with two other Hastings College students to interview healthcare professionals in an effort to strengthen rural healthcare and reduce health disparities.

To help support travel to the convention, all three students were awarded Hastings College Research and Travel Grants, with generous support from the Pam and John Bohmfalk Student Development Fund.

Henry, a communications professor, received her honor during the convention awards ceremony. It was presented in recognition of her continuing work at both the regional and national level in serving Alpha Chi.

“I was so impressed by all three of our student participants this year. They represented Hastings College with professionalism and enthusiasm as they presented projects they have been working on in their respective majors.” Henry said. 

Alpha Chi is a national collegiate all-discipline academic honor society intended to promote academic excellence and exemplary character among college and university students. The organization accepts only students who place in the top ten percent of their class from all academic disciplines.