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Carrie Leon, a May 2019 graduate of University of North Georgia (Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û), earned first prize for her paper "Latino Access to Healthcare in Response to Recent U.S Immigration Policies" at the Georgia Sociological Association annual conference held Nov. 7-9 in Jekyll Island, Georgia.

Leon's paper, inspired by the experiences of her friends and family, sought to find concrete data. What she landed on was "system avoidance," wherein Latinos may be unwilling to use health care systems for fear of incarceration or deportation.

Leon, a Nicholson, Georgia, resident, who earned a degree in sociology and had a minor in biology, wrote the paper for a social stratification class with Dr. David Broad, professor of sociology at Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û.

"The judges said it was one of the best papers they've ever seen submitted, so we're very proud of Carrie," Broad said. "In sociology and social science, we investigate things by using empirical research methods. We try to be as objective as we possibly can. We look at things that can be counted. Carrie has done an excellent job of bridging the personal reasons she had for doing this research and using empirical methods."

Denise Woodall, lecturer of sociology, also mentored Leon when she was at Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û.