Spartanburg, S.C.- Samford University students and faculty placed first and second in Best Oral Presentation in STEM at the Southern Conference's annual SURF this past weekend. 

In a release from the conference office Monday morning, the league stated that this initiative brings together students and cadets from across the league's member institutions to showcase their academic excellence. Held each fall on the campus of Wofford College, SURF is a cornerstone of the SoCon's broader academic and leadership programming. 

Facilitated by Wofford's Dr. Ramón Galiñanes Jr., participants presented original research across STEM, Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences disciplines. 
"[SURF] means a lot to many of our cadets and students from across the conference as they develop as scholars and leaders," said Galiñanes Jr. 

Founded in 2016, this year's SURF marked the inaugural year in which presenters competed in both poster and oral presentation categories. 

The students and faculty participated in an oral presentation in STEM. Full results from Samford's awards are below:

Best Oral Presentation in STEM  
First Place – Samford University 
Students: Caden Smith and Reeves Mileski 
Title: The Impact of Legalized Sports Betting on College Athletes' Mental Health and Fan Engagement  
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Joseph Pederson  

Second Place – Samford University  
Students: Davis Garrett and Finn Pearson  
Title: Investment Portfolio Rebalancing  
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kevin Pan