Southern Utah University held no classes on Tuesday, March 31. Instead, the campus held its annual Festival of Excellence where faculty, students and the community were encouraged to attend various presentations on campus.
The Festival of Excellence is a SUU tradition, showcasing university students’ scholarly work and academic research. The event showcased a variety of presentations such as poster exhibits, performances and discussion topics.
Student authors Emma Whitaker, Sadie Rasmussen and Darian Archibeque presented their research on the question; “Is there a difference between children of same sex couples and traditional, male/female parents?”
Whitaker, Rasmussen and Archibeque represented the College of Education & Human Development, demonstrating both arguments for whether LGBTQ+ or heterosexual parenting differs or has an effect on a child’s development
“Children of LGBTQ+ parents are more likely to be exposed to diversity compared to children of heterosexual parents,” said Archibeque when asked about key differences. “They also experience more curiosity from peers about how their family works with gender roles.”
Rasmussen explained their research methods and collaboration while working on the project together. Clint Broadbent, the department chair and assistant professor of Family Life & Human Development, was their mentor throughout the process.
“We concluded there is no difference between child development in homosexual households compared to heterosexual ones,” said Whitaker during the presentation. “Instead, a child’s well-being depends more on meeting their developmental needs, including socially, emotionally and academically,”
SUU’s 2026 Festival of Excellence provided these presenters with the opportunity to discuss their work with attendees, which is beneficial preparation for professional life.
For more information, visit the Festival of Excellence’s website.
Author: Kenzie Barlow
Editor: Fanny Felixine
Photos by Kenzie Barlow
life@suunews.net
