Student, professor collaborate to publish paper in national journal

Before taking their first class at Centre, Sarah Koch, class of 2025, knew they wanted to major in both Spanish and Anthropology/Sociology. What they didn’t expect was how easily they could explore both at once — through classes and a faculty-mentored research project that led to their paper being published in a peer-reviewed academic journal. 

The intersection of Koch’s passions developed during Spanish classes with Assistant Professor of Spanish Philip Limerick, where students had the chance to research a subject of their choice. 

“I didn’t realize that research was something you could do in the Spanish department because that’s not something you normally do in high school,” Koch explained. “Once I realized it was possible, I got really excited. When I got to do a research project in Spanish for the first time in my life, I absolutely loved it.”

Outside the classroom, Koch and Limerick collaborated on research during the summer of 2024 along with Kalí Hernandez Fraire, class of 2025. Limerick was focusing on anti-racism on social media in the Afro-Uruguayan context and all three researchers focused on one platform. 

Koch focused on X (formerly Twitter) and later expressed interest in creating a paper specifically analyzing the discourse on that platform. 

“Sarah really took initiative in expressing their desire to publish a paper on their X analysis and inviting me as co-author,” Limerick said. “They were very motivated and determined and sent me a full draft with a specific journal in mind not even two weeks after our exploratory research process ended! I was definitely impressed with the thoroughness and insightfulness of their analysis and writing skills.”

The paper, Koch’s first as the main author, has been accepted for publication in Hispania, the journal of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. It will appear in a future issue. 

Both Koch and Limerick shared their excitement about the paper’s acceptance but also noted the long and intensive process that led to its publication. Koch worked mostly independently, gathering resources, analyzing and writing the content. Limerick helped them think through ideas, find supplemental sources and work through extensive feedback from Hispania.

“It was a wonderful experience working with Professor Limerick,” Koch said. “It wasn’t my first time collaborating with a professor in a research project, but it was the most independence I’ve ever had.” 

Looking ahead, this rigorous experience will be beneficial as Koch prepares to pursue a PhD in sociology at Vanderbilt University starting in fall 2025.

The program they’ve been admitted to requires students produce one academic paper a year for the first three years. Having gone through the process with a supportive professor, Koch is prepared for those high expectations. 

Student-faculty collaborative research is a special part of the Centre experience for not only students but professors as well. For Limerick, working with Koch exemplified Centre’s commitment to experiential learning and showcased how education is a continuous journey.

“Sarah shows so much initiative, motivation, critical thinking skills, organizational skills, excitement and humility. These attributes made the process of collaboration seamless and highly enjoyable for me,” he said. “Sarah was very receptive to my feedback and was also confident in expressing their own opinions regarding the project. I learned a lot from their ideas and insights.”