by Taylor Bryant
Four University of West Georgia students recently placed first in the student paper competition at the National Social Science Association (NSSA) National Technology and Social Science Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. The winning paper, titled “Bookstore: More than Just Books,” was written by UWG students Marshala Cofer, Laney Zahner, Sandra Santiago, and Kaylee Bronson.
The research project, centered on UWG’s Bookstore and the way UWG students perceive the bookstore in relation to price, quality, and the programs they offer, allowed students to make various conclusions and suggestions to management. The functions and programs of the UWG Bookstore included: purchasing a book, renting a book, purchasing spirit wear and other general merchandise, purchasing graduation items, using and purchasing gift cards, using “Wolf Bucks” (funds on student ID cards), digital book offerings, Bookstore to the Rescue, express lane, and flash sales business.
The student group, from Dr. Beheruz N. Sethna’s Marketing 3804 course, accumulated approximately 390 surveys to analyze data for the research. Following the data analysis, students made various conclusions and suggestions for management on ways to improve business at the UWG Bookstore.
“I was delighted and honored to work with the talented students in this class,” says Dr. Sethna, president emeritus and UWG marketing professor. “I was the session chair for their session, which consisted of five student presentations, three from UWG and two from Cal State. One of the Cal State papers was presented by two doctoral students, and the other by a recent Ph.D. Our students held their own and, to my mind, our 17- and 18-year-old students made excellent presentations – at least on par with the doctoral students. My heartiest congratulations to Kalee, Laney, Marshala, and Sandra.”
This is the fourth time in the past 12 years that students from this course have placed first in the undergraduate research prize in the U.S. at the NSSA conference.
“Our students have continued to produce outstanding research,” says Stacey Rowland, manager of Undergraduate Research. “This win was a perfect ending to a great year in undergraduate research at UWG. It proves that our students are able to compete with professionals and experts in the field. Our student researchers are destined for greatness at and beyond UWG.”
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