Presbyterian College senior Avery Long recently earned Best Paper and Best Research Presentation in the undergraduate competition at the Southeast Decision Sciences Institute annual conference in Charleston. He is pictured with PC math professor Dr. Clint Harshaw.

by Samantha Hauff

Presbyterian College senior Avery Long was recently awarded Best Paper and Best Research Presentation in the undergraduate competition at the Southeast Decision Sciences Institute annual conference in Charleston.

The institute’s annual conference provided an opportunity for professors, graduate students, and undergraduate students to present their research. The institute gave out awards for the best of each category.

“The event seemed like an especially good opportunity to network with graduate school representatives since there were so many in one place,” said Long. “I also wanted to see what other people around my age were doing, whether they were masters students or undergraduates and they were doing some pretty incredible stuff.”

Long, who is from Lexington, is a business administration major with concentrations in data analytics and management. He did his research last fall under Dr. Suzie Smith, the Robert Vance Professor of Economics and Business Administration. Long described Smith as an “invaluable resource and great mentor every step of the way.”

Long personifies PC’s academic programs as the agent of action for his research.

“The catalyst for doing anything particularly difficult, in my opinion, is the desire to do something, and over the years at PC I have been fortunate enough to work with and learn from professors who are able to get me excited enough to where I want to do difficult things,” he said.

Passion is what drives Long towards his research, as well as an undying need for self-improvement.

“I’m genuinely just excited to work on something that’s pushing me just a little harder than I’ve been pushed the previous semester,” he said.