Coker College Student Mellissa Hughes Presents Research

HARTSVILLE, S.C. (04/11/2012)(readMedia)-- Coker College student Mellissa Hughes, of Myrtle Beach, S.C., recently presented at the third annual Coker College Celebration of Academics Student Research Symposium. Continuing in a tradition that began during President Robert Wyatt's inauguration as the 16th president of the College in 2010, Coker hosted a week-long campus-wide Celebration of Academics April 9-13. This year's schedule also included presentations of student-faculty research and service-learning projects as well as a performing arts showcase.

Hughes presented the project, "Coyote diet at Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge," which examined the impact of coyotes on key prey species and seasonal variations in coyote diet. The study took place at Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge in McBee, S.C. Foraging was assessed through the collection and dissection of coyote scat samples from the study area. Hughes is a senior biology major at Coker.

Established in 1908, Coker College readies undergraduates for personal and professional success through a distinctive four-year program that emphasizes a practical application of the liberal arts as well as hands-on and discussion-based learning within and beyond the classroom. Coker is ranked among the "Best Colleges" in the South by U.S. News & World Report as well as The Princeton Review. Located in Hartsville, S.C., Coker is within two hours of the cultural, financial and recreational resources of Charlotte, Columbia, Charleston and Myrtle Beach.