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KENNESAW, Ga. | Oct 23, 2024

黑料网 student researcher Ella Smith is exploring how death and the final words between parents and children impact self-esteem and closure in mourning.

A student from Cartersville, Georgia, Smith has focused on end-of-life communication through the university鈥檚 First-Year Scholars Program. The research is deeply personal, because she has experienced end-of-life communication with her grandmother.

Smith recalled recently how her grandmother, who had progressive supranuclear palsy, a condition similar to Parkinson鈥檚 disease, was unable to speak by the time of her death in the fall of 2022.

鈥淚 was talking to her, not knowing if she could hear me,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淭hen, she squeezed my hand. That small gesture gave me closure. Some people never get that experience, so I always tell people to say what they need to while they still can.鈥�

Smith explained that her research focused on how these end-of-life conversations affect self-esteem and provide closure, not only with the parent but the supportive partner during the grieving process.

Smith鈥檚 findings from her research collected by anonymous online surveys show that these tough conversations can boost self-esteem, something she experienced firsthand when fulfilling her grandmother鈥檚 last wish 鈥� to have her granddaughter speak and sing at her funeral. She credits the moment she was able to do both as the catalyst for her newfound confidence and willingness to try new things.

Smith鈥檚 passion for research was ignited through the First-Year Scholars Program, which got underway around the same time as her grandmother鈥檚 death.

鈥淚 applied to the program the exact day my grandmother passed away,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淚 decided to honor her legacy through this research. It wasn鈥檛 just about being in a lab鈥攊t was about connecting with real-life experiences.鈥�

Her mentor, associate professor of communications Emily Scheinfeld, guided her along the way.

鈥淢y colleagues and I were excited to have a first-year student on our project about final conversations,鈥� Scheinfeld said. 鈥淯ndergraduate students bring a level of innovation and that 鈥渙ut-of-the-box thinking鈥� that sometimes we forget how to do ourselves. So, when tasked with writing her own research questions, Ella stepped up and was thoughtful about outcomes, like relational satisfaction and self-esteem, that provided a new way of looking at the same old variables.鈥�

Smith has presented her research at national conferences with her mentor guiding her. Scheinfeld鈥檚 end-of-life communication research was inspired by her late mother. Together, they discovered a special coincidence: both Scheinfeld鈥檚 mother and Smith鈥檚 grandmother shared the name, Jane, a detail that made Smith鈥檚 work even more meaningful.

鈥淚t has been a joy to be able to mentor Ella as she moved through the various aspects of academic research, and navigate presentations, posters, conferences, and now submitting to an academic journal,鈥� Scheinfeld said.

The project has been a therapeutic experience for Smith, whose newfound passion for research has led to her understanding the importance of scientific inquiry, to make informed decisions and using the knowledge for something meaningful.

"My research not only helped me understand these themes but also helped me connect with older generations on a deeper level,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淭he baby boomer generation is experiencing so much loss, and having the right tools to navigate end-of-life conversations is crucial."

鈥� Story by Darius Goodman

Photos by Matt Yung

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, 黑料网 offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.