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Friday is a day when things get turned upside down on campus; when teachers take on the role of learners and students don ties, make presentations, and lecture to their peers at a level unheard of at virtually any other college in America.
It’s the Celebration of Student Research, Scholarship, and Creative Work, now in its third year of evolution at Wabash.
Classes are cancelled Friday afternoon—the only time all year when class isn’t formally in session—so that the entire community can take part in the Celebration. Members of the Board of Trustees and the national Alumni Board will also be on hand to learn from the students.
It all started about four years ago when chemistry professor Scott Feller and psychologist Charlie Blaich attended a national undergraduate research conference. There they saw hundreds of undergraduates presenting research they had done on their own or collaboratively with faculty members. Clearly what Blaich and Feller witnessed was a sampling of the best and brightest in the country.
So naturally, they thought they ought to recreate the event at Wabash.
Now in its third year, the Celebration will feature the research and creative work of more than 80 students covering the entire range of the College’s academic program.
The public is cordially invited to attend the event, which will take place beginning at 1:00 p.m. in Detchon Center on the Wabash campus and refreshments will be available. A complete schedule of events is available on the College’s website.
Some of the presentations are worth a visit because of their local nature.
Charlie Shrode will present “The Birth of Hoosier Hysteria,” which is a talk he’ll give on how Crawfordsville and Montgomery County helped to shape the sport of basketball and its place in our society.
Ben Tooley’s talk covers Mexican migration to the US, and specifically he will share the results of a trip he took last summer retracing the steps many of our Hispanic friends and neighbors took to come to Crawfordsville.
Scientists Wes Ket and Marty Dado have conducted research on the effects of swine farm activity and the prevalence of antibiotic resistant bacteria in a local creek.
J.D. Myers has studied 80 years of Montgomery County history for his talk on evolving social issues in our community.
Mike Krrasnodembski’s poster session is called “Bound for the Seat of War,” and covers the involvement of Wabash students in the American Civil War.
And just in case you didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy Todd Vogel’s brilliant photographs of the 2002 football season, his images “Away from the Ball” will be on display.
“We have student presentations, exhibits, or performances from every academic department on campus, on subjects ranging from particle physics to ethnomusicology,” says Dean of the College Mauri Ditzler. “The breadth of scholarship, and the fact that a number students are making presentations in two different disciplines, is a reflection of the liberal arts ideal we strive for at the College.”
The event is scheduled to conclude at approximately 4:00 p.m.
For more information see: