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Commonwealth University students present research at state capitol

PA (06/24/2025) — Commonwealth University students Emma Wonsick, of Dauphin (Mansfield campus); Sean Dunne, of Shenandoah (Bloomsburg campus); and Adam Seasholtz, Selinsgrove (Lock Haven campus) presented their research at the PA State Capitol in Harrisburg this spring. The Undergraduate Research at the Capital of Pennsylvania (URC-PA) is an educational event that allows undergraduate students in Pennsylvania's universities to showcase their research talents to the state's key decision-makers.

Wonsick, a biology-cell and molecular genomics major, researched cancer immunology. "My research aims to develop a better understanding of how T cells, a type of immune cell, function in the tumor microenvironment," she said. "Understanding the role of T cells can lead to the discovery of new therapeutic targets for cancer and development of new models for testing potential cancer therapies."

Seasholtz, a health science major, presented his research on the impact of being fasted versus fed on submaximal and maximal treadmill running.

Dunne, an English major, studied Medieval Travel Writing for a research paper. "My research focused on the components of the genre, as well as its lasting impact on medieval society and later societies," she said. "What I found was that the ways medieval travelers wrote about distant cultures and people had a direct impact on how Europeans thought about the rest of their world and their place in it."

The URC-PA gathers students from all over the state. Participants are encouraged to share experiences and ideas with their counterparts from other schools and enlighten state legislators on topics important to society.

Dunne said her favorite part of the event was meeting and talking with the other participants about the vast array of topics that undergraduates are researching.

"I enjoyed explaining my research to people with different academic backgrounds who were unfamiliar with my area of research," Wonsick said.

"I also loved getting to talk about my topic with others," Dunne said. "There, my research was deemed interesting and important and it was so much fun to dive into it with people."

Wonsick feels the event gave students a valuable opportunity to speak with legislators about topics they are passionate about as well as offered the students experience with presenting research to a diverse audience.

"Through this event, I was able to show myself, other presenters and legislators the importance of the humanities and what we can contribute to understanding the world around us," Dunne said.