Held annually for over 50 years, the Nebraska Undergraduate Sociological Symposium (NUSS) allows students from Nebraska universities to interact with peers through roundtable discussions and presentations.
Attending this year were students from Doane University, Midland University, Wayne State College, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Creighton University, University of Nebraska at Kearney, University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Nebraska Omaha.
Six Doane students participated in and two others attended this year’s symposium, held November 7, 2025, at Midland University in Fremont. For many, it marks the first time they’ll share research outside the classroom and campus.
Among the Doane students was Zainab Al-Zubiadi, a senior sociology and English double major. Al-Zubiadi gave an oral presentation on her research titled, “Political Affiliation And Its Effects on Education.”
“Presenting it [my research] in a formal way allowed me to see my own work in various perspectives, especially by the questions and feedback I received,” Al-Zubiadi said.
She spent over a year researching the topic, and was constantly uncovering new themes and questions.
“I may think that my research is complete, but in reality, there is still so much to learn about it,” she said.
Al-Zubiadi plans to attend law school after graduation, from there she’s uncertain on a career path. It’ll be a bit like living in a real-world research project — unsure of the final result, Al-Zubiadi is up for the challenge of finding out.
“I’m excited to try something new!” she said.
Another Doane senior gave an oral research presentation at this year’s NUSS. Psychology major Addison Rosno presented her research titled, “Stand Still Like the Hummingbird: A Content Analysis of Rue’s Delinquency in Euphoria.”
Rosno also won the student paper competition for a paper written for Associate Professor Kari Gentzler’s juvenile delinquency class. At last year’s NUSS, Rosno earned the “Works In Progress Emerging Scholar Award.”
Gentzler, a 2009 Doane graduate who participated in NUSS as an undergraduate, serves as faculty sponsor alongside Professor Danelle DeBoer, Ph.D.
“[NUSS] is a great example of our students sharing the work they do in classes with a wider audience and being recognized for their accomplishments,” Gentzler said.
Doane NUSS 2025 Participants
Poster presentation
- Junior sociology major Zoe Martin
“Policy Proposal: Our Discriminatory Society Against the Transgender Community”
Research roundtable (to share works in progress)
- Junior sociology major Samie Buhrmann
- Sophomore sociology major Olivia Jones
Oral presentation
- Senior Zainab Al-Zubiadi, “Political Affiliation and Its Effects on Education”
- Senior Addison Rosno*, “Stand Still Like the Hummingbird: A Content Analysis of Rue’s Delinquency in Euphoria“
- Senior sociology major Brooke Cox, “Socioeconomic Status, Working Hours, and Their Impact on Work–Family Conflict”
*Addison Rosno also won the student paper competition
