In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the symposium on undergraduate scholarship, the committee has announced that they will kick off the event with a keynote panel featuring three alumni.
At 7 p.m. on tuesday, April 19 in Mees Hall, attendees will get the chance to be part of a discussion with Capital alums Dr. Kathryn Bell, Dr. Brian Murphy, and Ph.D. candidate Rachel Yoho. Each have professional careers that center around research in diverse fields.
“Our multi-disciplinary panelists are successful alumni that were invested in undergraduate scholarship when they were at Capital and have continued to make that a priority in their lives,” said Stephanie Saunders, co-chair of the symposium.
This will be the first year that a panel is being held for the keynote session. The committee made this decision in hopes that this format will be even more useful to students. They hope that it will speak to students and encourage them to ask questions.
Bell specializes in clinical psychology, interpersonal violence, trauma, behavioral analysis, and addictions. She graduated from Capital University in 1997. She is an associate professor of psychology at Capital.
“I am looking forward to sharing with students the impact of undergraduate research on my life, in the hope that they will become passionate about pursuing scholarship opportunities in their own lives,” Bell said.
Yoho graduated from Capital in 2012. She specializes in energy technologies, science education, and policy.
“I think this year’s panel will be a valuable experience for students to hear about the professional trajectories of recent graduates, while having questions answered and increasing networking opportunities,” said Yoho. “I’m looking forward to visiting and discussing my research and post-Capital career.”
Murphy focuses on American, race, and media studies as well as creative writing. He graduated from Capital in 2003.
“I hope to inspire students in whichever path they wish to pursue,” said Murphy. “Archival research is a journey that requires perseverance, and it’s exciting because, at the outset, you can never know precisely where it will lead. It nearly always takes you somewhere unexpected.”
With the panel format, students will be able to ask questions in person during the event. There is also an opportunity to tweet questions to the panelists using the hashtag #SOUS2016.
The moderator for the panel discussion will be Dr. Ronald St. Pierre. He is the former Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Prior to the event, the panel members will be interacting with students in corresponding departments through workshops, lecture, and seminar. Following the panel there will be a small reception to further the celebration and conversation between students, faculty, and the panelists.
“We think this kick off really celebrates the awesome work that goes on at Capital,” Saunders said. “The alumni will be able to show our hardworking students what can happen in the future.”
If any students have questions or comments, the symposium planning committee can be contacted at symposium@capital.edu.
