UF business students lead research projects as 2024-2025 University Scholars
With guidance from faculty mentors, 11 students will explore topics like influencer marketing, AI ethics, global financial challenges and beyond.
Growing up with social media, Asher Lowe (BABA ’25) has seen the rise of influencers across social media platforms. With the influencer marketing industry set to be worth $22 billion by 2025, brands are keen to understand how they can use influencers to grow sales.
Lowe’s interest in social media and marketing also draws him to understand the value of influencers. As a University Scholar, Lowe will have the opportunity to dive into the subject.
“I’ve always been interested in why people trust influencers’ opinions more than those of ordinary individuals, so my research will explore how influencers address the product,” he explained. “Being selected for the University Scholars program is an incredible honor, and it feels validating to have my hard work recognized. I feel motivated and eager to make the most of this incredible opportunity.”
Lowe is one of 11 University of Florida Warrington College of Business students selected for the 2024-2025 cohort of University Scholars. Presented by the Center for Undergraduate Research, the University Scholars program supports aspiring academics to pursue a research project of their own ideation with the guidance of a faculty mentor.
Upon completing their research project, students have the opportunity to be published in the UF Journal of Undergraduate Research or another scholarly journal and present their detailed research during the annual Undergraduate Research Symposium.
“The University Scholars program provides an unparalleled opportunity for undergraduate students to dive deep into the world of academic research,” said Mo Wang, Associate Dean for Research and Strategic Initiatives, University Distinguished Professor and Lanzillotti-McKethan Eminent Scholar. “By working closely with faculty mentors and engaging in rigorous scholarly inquiry, students not only enhance their critical thinking and analytical skills, but also gain invaluable experience that sets them apart in their future academic and professional pursuits.”
The competitive process requires students to submit their research idea for committee selection. Upon selection, students receive a stipend for their research project.
This year, 11 Warrington students submitted a research project to the University Scholars program. While the Office of Undergraduate Research typically only funds 10 business student projects, the selection committee was so impressed by the quality of the submissions that the Warrington College of Business is funding an additional project.
During his time as a University Scholar, Lowe will attempt to determine which type of social media influencer campaign (organic vs. artificial) is more effective at creating brand awareness and altering purchase intention.
Alongside his faculty mentors Richard Lutz, Peter S. Sealey PhD Professor & Marketing Department Chair, and Lecturer Valeria Marcia, Lowe plans to directly compare customer responses to organic, creative influencer campaigns as well as artificial, scripted influencer campaigns to draw insights and provide actionable recommendations for businesses.
Lutz, who has supervised over a dozen University Scholars over the years, noted that he was particularly intrigued by Lowe’s timely topic of the burgeoning area of influencer marketing.
“When consumers are asked why they follow influencers, they often say that they feel influencers are more ‘authentic’ than advertising; they trust them more,” Lutz explained. “Yet, many influencers are not at all authentic; they post scripted content in exchange for payment or free products. Asher’s proposed research will attempt to isolate the differences between authentic and inauthentic influencers.
“His results may prove useful to marketers in devising their influencer strategies.”
Lutz’s years of experience working with University Scholars students, including two who went on to earn their Ph.D.s in business and are now business school professors, has shown him the rich value of the student research experience.
“The University Scholars Program is a terrific opportunity for undergraduate students to discover the joys of academic research,” he said. “Generating new knowledge about business through research is an eye-opening experience.”
Learn more about the Warrington students selected as University Scholars and their projects.
| Student | Faculty Mentor | Research Project |
| Theresse Racpan | Amy Parziale, Management Communications Department | How do varying standards of business around the world affect the people working in specific areas? |
| Gabriella Puig | Brian Ray, Management Department | Leadership, A.I., and Corporate Culture: How generative A.I. is shaping ethical business leaders in the corporate environment both domestically and abroad |
| Jacob Bousky | David Brown, Finance, Insurance and Real Estate Department | The differences within the next 5 years of the market share between private and institutional credit |
| Zara Dalvi | Gustavo Cortes, Finance, Insurance and Real Estate Department | The Validity of the Phillips Curve in Financial Crises |
| Jewel Russell | Amanda Phalin, Management Department | Bridging the Gap Between Domestic & International Expansion: An Inside Look at the Crisis in the Global Payments Industry |
| Jaden Smith | Gabriel Pundrich, Fisher School of Accounting | Public Perception and Municipalities Raising Capital |
| Angelie Peña | Geoffrey Tomaino, Marketing Department | Navigating the Instant Gratification Pandemic: Neuroscientific Insights into Developing Intrinsic Motivation and Disciplinary Practices for Business Leaders to Produce Long-Term Success |
| Asher Lowe | Richard Lutz and Valeria Marcia, Marketing Department | Evaluating the Effectiveness of Organic versus Artificial Product Endorsement in Influencer Marketing |
| Megan Shein | Megan Mocko, Information Systems and Operations Management Department | Mnemonics and the Effect of Artificial Intelligence |
| Khanh Dang | Anthony Middlebrooks, Management Department | How is work-life balance conceptualized between the work cultures of East and West? |
| Olivia Liu | Roger Blair, Economics Department, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Monopsony, Labor Markets, and Antitrust Policy |
