Symposium of Artists and Scholars celebrates student excellence

The sixth annual Symposium of Artists and Scholars will include more than 60 presentations highlighting Randolph College students’ scholarly work and creative ventures.

The symposium will take place Thursday and Friday. Students will present research on a wide range of topics, such as the effects of dance exercise on coordination improvement, the role fungi play in allergic reactions, and philosophical questions of artificial intelligence. They also will present creative works, such as a poem about a Lynchburg pawn shop, a student-authored play about relationships, and musical compositions.

“Randolph College students are engaging in an amazing variety of high-quality research projects and creative pursuits,” said Peter Sheldon, director of the Center for Student Research. “We are proud of the work our students are doing, and we look forward to celebrating and sharing their work in the Symposium.”

Doug Shedd, the Catherine Ehrman Thoresen ’23 and William E. Thoresen Professor of Biology, will present the keynote address, “Why Biodiversity Matters,” at 7 p.m. Thursday.

For a full schedule of the Symposium of Artists and Scholars, read the symposium program here.

The annual symposium, modeled after traditional academic conferences, was started in 2008 to celebrate the height of Randolph College student achievement.

Fifth annual Symposium of Artists & Scholars showcases student and faculty work

Randolph College’s own Jim Peterson will kick off the fifth annual Symposium of Artists & Scholars April 18-19. Peterson, an accomplished poet, playwright, novelist, and Randolph English professor, will present “The Dynamic Stall” April 18 at 7 p.m. in Nichols Theatre.

Peterson has published four full-length collections of poetry, the Man Who Grew Silent, An Afternoon with K, The Owning Stone, and The Bob and Weave. He has also authored three chapbooks and a novel, The Paper Crown. Peterson’s poetry has appeared in several prestigious journals, and he has won awards including Benjamin Saltman Award from the Red Hen Press and a Fellowship in Poetry from the Virginia Arts Commission. His plays have also been produced in college and regional theatres. During his 15-year tenure at the College, Peterson has served as the coordinator of the creative writing program, the visiting writers series, and as the College’s writer-in-residence.

Randolph’s Symposium of Artists & Scholars spotlights student and faculty research and projects from a variety of academic disciplines and provides students with the opportunity to present the results of their research, scholarship, and creative work to the public.

The scheduled presentations cover everything from “The Antioxidant Power of Pomegranate Juice and Juice Mixes” to “A Local Food Economy as a Solution to Lynchburg’s Food Desert: What Role Can Randolph College Play” to “Developing a Synchronous Puppet Control System for Avenue Q Puppets: Puppet Fabrication and Control System Design.” Many of the projects were supported by the Randolph College Summer Research Program and the Randolph Innovative Student Experience (RISE) Program.

Student presentations begin after the keynote address April 18 and continue Friday. For a complete schedule, please see http://www.randolphcollege.edu/x14435.xml.

You really should present in the Symposium of Artists and Scholars. Apply now.

It is time to dust off the project you are most proud of and submit it for Randolph College’s prestigious academic showcase.

Every year, the Symposium of Artists and Scholars brings together the best research projects and creative works produced by students at the College. You can submit a serious paper, a musical performance, a dance you choreographed, or art you created. It can be an independent project related to your major, or an assignment you completed for an elective course.

Bottom line: If it is a project that you are proud of, we want to see it!

The application deadline for the 2012 Symposium is looming. (It's February 24. Apply now.)

We recently asked a few students (and one 2011 graduate) why they were glad they presented in the symposium last year. This video summarizes their responses:

What are you waiting for? Apply now.