Jessy Anne Walters, a Trevecca Nazarene University communication studies major, was selected to present her research project at the 2016 National Conference on Undergraduate Research. This is the first time a Trevecca student has been selected to present at the annual conference.

Scheduled for April 7-9 on the campus of the University of North Carolina-Asheville, the conference promotes undergraduate research in all fields of study.

Walters’ research project was chosen from among more than 4,000 applications from all over the country. Walters’ project, “I’ll Make a Man Out of You: An Analysis of Masculine Gender Roles in Disney Animated Films,” examines the messages being conveyed to young men through popular Disney movies.

“There’s been a lot of research and a lot of talk about what we’re teaching young women through those movies,” Walters said. “But I have two brothers so I wanted to look at the different themes and gender messages that were being sent to them, as far as body image and language and relationship expectations.”

Walters’ project began as a routine assignment in the Gender and Communication course she took during the Spring 2015 semester.

“The subject piqued Jessy Anne’s interest, so she broadened her analysis to include additional films and continued to do more in-depth qualitative analysis,” said Lena Welch, Walters’ advisor and the dean of Trevecca’s School of Arts and Sciences. “When she told me she wanted to do more with the project, I suggested NCUR. Within a couple of days, she contacted me to say she wanted to apply.”

Walters' research covers about 14 animated Disney movies, going as far back as Snow White and as recent as Frozen. She said some of her findings surprised her, especially when it came to the messages the movies sent about body image for men.

“In the current films, the body image was the same as years ago,” Walters said. “There’s a very specific body image — the hero look that both heroes and villains have. I would have thought that had changed over time, but it really hasn’t.”

Walters was also surprised to see that even in Frozen, a movie praised for empowering women and sisters, the plot wouldn’t have ended the same without a male hero to save the day.

“When you break down the film, it wouldn’t have ended the way it did if there hadn’t been a man,” she said.

Walters is excited for the opportunity to share her findings and talk openly about the messages media send to men, a topic she says isn’t often discussed.

“I think a lot of times, we tend to not look at what we’re saying to younger men just because we categorize Disney as princesses,” she said. “That’s not really the case when you look closer.”

Walters’ project isn’t just a personal milestone. Undergraduate research is the focus of Trevecca’s Quality Enhancement Plan, a focused effort to enhance the student learning experience that is now required for any university seeking reaccreditation. Trevecca’s plan shapes ongoing academic planning in every undergraduate course of study.

“Although having a student apply and qualify for NCUR wasn’t a designated outcome of the QEP, Jessy Anne’s accomplishment serves as an excellent indicator of growing interest in undergraduate research at Trevecca,” said Welch, who also serves as the director of the QEP. “It’s not just a big deal for Jessy Anne, but for Trevecca as well.”

Walters, a senior, will graduate in May. She plans to pursue a career in journalism.

The National Conferences on Undergraduate Research, established in 1987, is dedicated to promoting undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activity in all fields of study by sponsoring an annual conference for students. Unlike meetings of academic professional organizations, this gathering of young scholars welcomes presenters from all institutions of higher learning and from all corners of the academic curriculum. Through this annual conference, NCUR creates a unique environment for the celebration and promotion of undergraduate student achievement, provides models of exemplary research and scholarship, and helps to improve the state of undergraduate education.

--Trevecca Nazarene University