Our project could not be run without the hard work of these students.
Team Padfoot
Madelyn Bowden
Madelyn Grace is a junior undergraduate Honors student majoring in Nursing. Madelyn is evaluating human animal interaction between Gryffin and children among differing ethnic groups. After graduating she plans to pursue a master’s degree in Nursing and ultimately aspires to become either a Labor and Delivery or Neonatal Nurse.
Sarah Huetter
Sarah is a second-year Honors student at the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing. Her research interests involve the relationship and behaviors between animal-assisted therapy and children at risk for autism spectrum disorder, assessing for differences in the human-animal bond between Gryffin and children with varying verbal abilitiesl. After graduation, she hopes to further her career in nursing by serving children and young adults with Down syndrome, and hopefully attend graduate school to obtain a Master’s in Nursing Science degree.
Allison Reichel
Allison is a junior majoring in Nursing with a minor in Medical Humanities. Her research interests include working on ways to bridge the gaps in health care for underrepresented populations. After graduation she plans to become a pediatric nurse, and later become a Nurse Practitioner. Allison is assessing human animal interaction between Gryffin and children of varying ages.
Claire Little
Claire Little is an undergraduate Honors nursing student at the University of Arkansas. She is conducting research to identify the impact of animal-assisted therapy on prosocial behavior in children diagnosed with autism. She is comparing this to the impact on prosocial behavior observed using a stuffed model of the animal. After graduating she plans to work as a nurse in Labor and Delivery or the Emergency Department, then pursue a doctorate degree to become a nurse practitioner.
Delaney Piantanida
Delaney is a junior Honors student in the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing at the University of Arkansas. She is currently involved in research on animal-assisted therapy and its effects on children with autism spectrum disorder. She looks forward to learning more about ASD, as well as animal-assisted therapy, and is interested in the practical use of this to provide quality care in the workplace. She plans to pursue a job as a registered nurse after graduating in December 2024, either working in a pediatric ICU or in the pediatric oncology field.
Caroline Kilo
Caroline is a junior Honors student majoring in Nursing with a minor in Spanish. She will be involved in researching the impact of animal-assisted therapy on the prosocial behavior of children with autism. She looks forward to combining her passions for nursing and Spanish to provide care for Spanish-speaking families and children. After graduation, she plans to work as a bilingual registered nurse in Cardiology or Surgery.
Team Explorers
Isabella Davis
Isabella is a junior Honors student pursuing a degree in Nursing. Currently, she is analyzing the pediatric developmental assessments and searching for patterns of development and behavior among cultures. Upon graduation, she plans to further her nursing education in hopes of pursuing a career as an Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner.
Alicia Liu
Alicia is a senior undergraduate honors student majoring in Nursing. She is primarily interested in Pediatrics and Family Nursing. She hopes to become a Nurse Practitioner and provide care to underserved populations. She is currently researching the effect of primary care provider cultural competency on the identification and diagnosis of developmental delay and ASD among ethnicities.
Ansley Matthews
Ansley Matthews is a Senior nursing major who will graduate in December 2023. She has a a passion for working with children and helping people and wants to be a nurse to serve others. Her research investigates how cultural influences affect the age of diagnosis for children with autism spectrum disorder allows her to not only answer this research question, but to serve a community that is dear to her. Following graduation, Ansley hopes to work in a pediatric hospital.
Team Development
Adelaide Ridgon
Addie Rigdon is a Junior Nursing Student and is interested in pursuing either trauma or psychiatric nursing after graduation. Her research interests include psychiatric specialty with emphasis on mental illnesses and individuals with disabilities. Addie is investigating caregiver perspectives of child development and ASD to enhance understanding of delays in age of ASD diagnosis.
Ashton Toland
Ashton is a junior honors student majoring in Nursing and minoring in Medical Humanities. After college, she plans to work in a hospital then go back to school to be a nurse practitioner. Ashton is evaluating caregiver appraisal of child development by comparing subjective screening instruments to diagnostic evaluations in order to identify misconceptions of child development held by caregivers with children who have ASD.
