Russell Sage College Students Present Research Posters at New York State Association for Foreign Language Teachers Conference

Seven Russell Sage College students shared their research at the New York State Association for Foreign Language Teachers annual conference held in Albany, October 17-18, 2025. 

The students participated in an undergraduate poster session that gave them the chance to present their ideas on language learning, teaching, culture, and technology, said Ekaterina Kagan, Ph.D., professor of Spanish. “These students not only contributed to important conversations in the field but also represented the college with insight, professionalism, and genuine passion. Their hard work and energy were felt throughout the session, making us proud to have them as part of our community.”

The students included:

— Childhood and Early Childhood Education major Rosemary Cruz, who presented a poster titled “Stereotypes Around Non-English-Speaking Students in the Classroom.”

— Biology major Adrianna Denio, who presented a poster titled “Cross-Linguistic Interference and Memory Distortion: Multilingualism and the Genesis of False Memories.”

— Biology major Jacob Kagan, who presented a poster titled “Language Learning Through a Different Lens,” which compared the process of learning a new language to re-learning language after aphasia.

— Biology major Lilliana Langdon, who presented a poster titled “Influence of Extracurricular Activities on Spanish Learning: Student Mental Health and Academic Performance.”

— Childhood and Early Childhood Education major Samantha Pivacek, who presented a poster titled “The Relationship Between Cultural Identity and School Engagement.”

— Childhood and Early Childhood Education major Emma Pitrulle, who presented a poster titled “The Impact of Bilingualism on Early Childhood Literacy Skills.”

— Nursing major Kyle Zheng, who presented a poster titled “Transforming Patient Care: AI as a Language Tool in Clinical Settings.”