Meet the Team

Dr. Stefanie Sevcik is the Faculty Director of Mentored Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (MURACE) and a Lecturer of English.  She earned a B.A. in General Literature from Reed College and a Ph.D in Comparative Literature from Brown University specializing in French, Arabic, and English literature.  Previously at GCSU, she was Faculty Champion for Community-based Engaged Learning (CbEL) and a University System of Georgia Chancellor’s Learning Scholar.  She led a redesign of the MA in English capstone as MA Committee Chair and helped co-write a self-study on writing at GCSU as a member of the Composition Committee.  She currently serves as a board member for Women’s and Gender Studies and acts as a Diversity Peer Educator through the Office of Inclusive Excellence.  Her research includes work on 20th and 21st Century women’s resistance movements and has been published in Research in African Literatures, The Journal of the African Literature Association, and a recent collection published by Rutgers University Press titled In the Crossfire of History: Women’s War Resistance Discourse in the Global South.  She is currently finishing a manuscript titled Bloggers, Bombers, and Babies: Women’s Creative Insurgency across the Global South.  Recently, she is very active presenting and publishing work on High-impact Practices including diversifying Mentored Undergraduate Research and Critical Service-Learning. Dr. Sevcik's favorite part of her job is connecting students with resources and support. There's nothing better than being able to give students the gift of research! Dr. Sevcik's favorite thing to "research" on the internet is recipes.  I love trying new baking recipes with my daughter on the weekends!  We are both really addicted to watching baking contests

Alex Kopczynski (she/her/hers) is a fourth-year nursing student from Dacula, Georgia. She hopes to work as a pediatric medical surgical RN following graduation in December. This is Alex's first semester with MURACE, and she is excited to learn more about undergraduate research. When not working, Alex loves to work out and spend time with family, friends, and her dog, Bailey. Alex's favorite part of her job is getting the chance to be involved in an organization that interacts with so many different disciplines; She is always learning something new and meeting new people! Alex's favorite thing to research is behavioral psychology. 

Haley (she/her/hers) is a third-year English literature student here at GCSU. She work at the Georgia College Writing Center alongside MURACE, doing web design for both campus entities. After graduation, Haley hopes to get her MA in literature at Georgia College, and then wants to go on to be a business analyst. She loves her dogs, her friends, and her family!

Caroline (she/her/hers) is a fourth-year political science major with a minor in environmental science. She's highly passionate about the preservation of fragile habitats and hopes to work in environmental policy consulting and analysis after obtaining her MS in environmental policy from John's Hopkins University. Outside of academics, Caroline loves theatre, reading, and spending time with her friends, family, and pets.

Alexandra (she/her/hers) is a third-year biology and Spanish double major. After graduating from Georgia College, she plans to attend graduate school to obtain further training in the molecular biology field. She is involved in biology research, working in Dr. Arnab Sengupta’s research lab studying RNA structure and function. She and her lab group have presented their work at multiple research conferences, and plan to attend many more. Her passion for research drove her to become a Student Research Circle leader, where she hopes to help bring all disciplines together to have meaningful discussions and assist with general research-based questions. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting and volunteering at the local shelter. She loves all animals, listening to music, and trying new foods. Her favorite part of the job is being able to interact with other students of different disciplines and getting to learn about their research. She also loves answering questions and encouraging students to present their research! When it comes to researching on the internet, she is always on the lookout for new crochet projects that she can take on, especially when some stress relief is needed.

Katie Smith (she/her/hers) is an Administrative Assistant II (primarily working with the Center for Teaching and Learning here at GCSU) from Ivey, Georgia. She assists MURACE in supporting undergraduate student travel to present research. She is also a non-traditional third-year student, majoring in management information systems. When not working or studying, Katie loves to spend time with family and friends. Katie's favorite part of her work with MURACE is getting the chance to work with some very awesome people! Katie's favorite things to research are gluten-free recipes, growing houseplants, and personal finance.