Levin Students in Spotlight at Undergraduate Research Poster Session

Presenting research can be an overwhelming and intimidating experience, but the bright lights of Cleveland State University’s (CSU) Undergraduate Research Poster Session on Sept. 17 in the Student Center Atrium proved to be the perfect setting for students to take a major step forward in their academic journeys.

The Levin College of Public Affairs and Education was well represented at the event, which featured nearly 70 research posters and presentations by students from the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Health, Monte Ahuja College of Business, and Washkewicz College of Engineering.

Among the Levin researchers were undergraduate students Aida Calo, Jack Dominick, Hannah Gunter, Allison Komosa, and Alexis Zeidner, who presented their research, “Content Appeals and Messaging Used by TikTok Influencers Promoting Peptides.”  The research was also the focus of Distinguished Professor of Communication, Psychology, and Political Science Dr. Richard M. Perloff’s August 12, 2026, Cleveland.com opinion column, “Serious issues in peddling peptides to youth online,” giving the students’ work a broader audience and highlighting the real-world implications of undergraduate research.

The team examined how male and female TikTok influencers promote peptides online, particularly to young people and individuals concerned about their body image. Their research focused on the persuasive techniques influencers use and the limited scientific and regulatory information accompanying many of these online claims.

Each member of the research team was selected based on their work in Dr. Perloff’s COM 350 Persuasion or COM 225 Media Writing courses. Their different academic backgrounds also brought distinct perspectives to the project.

“Hannah has the psychological understanding of where influencers are coming from and how their persuasion works,” Dr. Perloff said. “Alexis, a nursing major, brought a biological perspective and understood how influencers impact women with PCOS. Aida, a journalism major, was tremendous in her literature review. Allison was very knowledgeable, and Jack brought an understanding of the popular influencer Clavicular. This was truly collaborative research, and each student had their own unique insight.”

The project also reflects Dr. Perloff’s longstanding commitment to CSU. He first arrived on campus in 1979 and has spent 47 years serving the university community.

Peptides are short chains of amino acids that naturally occur in the human body, but Dr. Perloff and his students became concerned about the way some influencers are promoting peptide products in a gray online marketplace.

Their research found that influencers frequently relied on their own fit, lean, and attractive appearances to promote peptides. Dr. Perloff wrote in his column that three-quarters of posts from female gym influencers claimed peptides resulted in significant improvements after use. The research also found that only a small percentage of videos from self-described medical experts encouraged viewers to consult a physician, while even fewer mentioned serious potential side effects.

The project offered students an opportunity to move beyond the classroom and apply what they had learned to a timely issue affecting the way people consume and evaluate information online.

“There’s not much information these influencers are putting out that’s regulated by the FDA,” said Gunter, a psychology major with minors in communication, sociology, and neuroscience. “Influencers are speaking from experience in their videos, but it’s not backed by scientific data. There needs to be FDA regulations.”

“This was a great research project to be part of,” said Zeidner, a nursing major. “It gets you to start thinking critically about the world around you.”

“This was my first big group research project,” said Calo, a journalism major. “I’m glad I was part of such a collaborative effort learning what peptides are and how social media influencers try to sell them online in a gray market.”

Dr. Clayton Wukich’s students presented their work on a constructive dialogue and civil discourse research project titled “A CSU That Isn’t Afraid to Talk (and Learn).”  Sophia Laudato, Christian Jensen, and Mya Cordova explored how universities can institutionalize civil discourse to improve the student experience.  The students spent the summer with Dr. Wukich researching what universities across the country are doing and identifying their different approaches.

Dr. Katie Clonan-Roy's students Hannah Dennis and Zoe Guilonard presented their research titled “I Can Do That Too.” Empowerment, Activism, and Skill Building Through Youth Participatory Action Research.” Hannah and Zoe were mentored by the THRIVE Research Collaborative at CSU, which was co-founded by CSU faculty members Drs. Clonan-Roy, Kimberly Fuller, Elizabeth Goncy, and Shereen Naser.

Dr. Grace Huang’s student Latifa Zakaria presented on the ecology of refugee education in Ohio with the poster titled “Portraits of Practice: What Teachers Bring to Refugee Education.” Dr. Huang also collaborated on two posters with Dr. Vickie Gallagher at the College of Business. Their project examined newcomers’ well-being and needs at a nonprofit refugee community center. They mentored two senior students, Mariah Eckliff and Lobobi Nasende, both from the Psychology Department.

The Undergraduate Research Poster Session demonstrated how student research can connect classroom learning with contemporary issues. It also gave students an opportunity to share their perspectives beyond campus and contribute to broader public conversations.