Sociological Society Selects Centenary Student for 2003 Odum Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Paper

SHREVEPORT, LA —The Southern Sociological Society has selected a paper by Centenary student Harmony Newman as the most outstanding paper on a sociological topic by an undergraduate this year.

Ms. Newman, a senior sociology major from Biloxi, Miss., will receive the organization’s 2003 Odum Award during the 66th annual meeting of the society March 26-30 in New Orleans.

At the conference, she will present her paper, "To Escape or Endure Adolescent Pregnancy: The Impact of Agency on Sexual Decision-Making." Ms. Newman’s research examined how teens in at-risk populations – those most likely to become teen mothers – make sexual decisions, in an effort to build social policies that will reduce the number of teen pregnancies.

The society presents its Odum Award annually to one undergraduate and one graduate paper submitted on a sociological topic.

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