Neumann University junior Bettina Bowers’s research paper, “Mandatory Vaccinations in the United States,” won second place in the Delta Epsilon Sigma National Competition in Creative and Scholarly Writing.

The contest was open to undergraduates attending institutions that have a Delta Epsilon Sigma chapter. Manuscripts were submitted in five categories: poetry, short fiction, creative nonfiction/personal essay, critical/analytical essay, and scholarly research.

Delta Epsilon Sigma is the national scholastic honor society for students, faculty, and alumni of colleges and universities with a Catholic tradition. The honor society was founded in 1939 to recognize academic accomplishments, to foster scholarly activities, and to encourage a sense of intellectual community among its members. Today, there are more than 38,000 members and 119 chapters.

“I won locally in the research category and then Dr. Kovach sent all of our pieces on for the national competition,” Bowers said. Claudia Kovach is the faculty advisor for Neumann’s Delta Epsilon Sigma chapter.

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Bowers decided to research and write about the need for children to have mandatory vaccinations. She was interested in the topic and wanted to become more educated on the subject.

“I took a stance for vaccinating, and through my research, that became something I was passionate about,” she said.

Bowers, a Springfield native majoring in both English and secondary education, wrote the paper for her English 102 class with Dr. William Hamilton.

“I love writing, and I would like to be an English teacher in either a middle school or high school,” Bowers said.

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