Excellence in thought

In early June, Walla Walla University hosted the annual Academic Excellence Symposium for the first time since 2019. Nine WWU students displayed posters detailing their research findings, fourteen others prepared paper presentations, and professor emerita of history Terrie Aamodt served as this year's keynote speaker with her lecture "A Tale of Two Cities (and the Road That Connects Them)."

WWU professor of psychology Linda Ivy led symposium revival efforts to give students an opportunity to share their academic work with a larger audience. She said, "I believe there is a great deal of 'excellence in thought' that should be showcased on campus." The symposium also gives students a chance to practice preparing posters and presentations for professional conferences, and promotes cross-departmental collaboration among both students and faculty.

The symposium first featured an exhibition hall where visitors could browse the posters on topics ranging from business, to elementary education, to computer engineering: biology major Sierra Joy Williams exhibited "Genetic Sex Determination in Octopuses," and mathematics and psychology major Jocelyn Curiel displayed "Happiness Based on Behaviors of Love." Next, Aamodt gave her lecture describing two stories produced by U.S. Route 11. She illustrated how economic privilege, regional pride, and race shape which stories get remembered and how they are told.

The symposium wrapped up with two back-to-back paper presentation sessions. Department chair and professor of mathematics Benjamin Jackson was one of four session moderators, and he said, "I thought my session went really well! Each of the students were very prepared to present and did a great job explaining their research and fielding questions." Jackson encouraged his own students to participate so they could gain experience presenting in a conference setting. He said, "While we do class presentations in the math department, focusing your talk for the educated layman and getting the detail level right isn't something that always comes naturally, and this was a great place to practice."

The first session included presentations like Claire Haffner's "Religious Trauma and Adventism: Experiences of Religion as a Source of Pain and Harm for SDA-Raised Young Adults," and Lauren Vizcarra and Caeden Rogers' "Investigation into First-Date Expectation and their Effects on First-Date Enjoyment." The second session consisted of presentations like Lorelei Harbour and Megan Carreon's "The 'Why' Behind Early Marriages Within Religious Contexts," and Lydia Thiel's "African American in Maxville: Life and Oppression in a 1920s-30s Oregon Logging Town.

For its first year back, the symposium had a promising turnout, and Jackson says he is looking forward to seeing even more students present in more sessions next year. All WWU students are encouraged to submit posters or paper presentations for approval to the chair of their department(s) to contribute their academic findings for future symposiums. This event is strengthened by a diversity of topics and departmental contributions, and students benefit from the unique experience earned by practicing these conference style presentations. Ivy says she is excited to watch attendance and student-participation grow in future years.

For the full list of 2024 AES student contributors and other symposium information, go to Academic Excellence Symposium.

Posted July 16, 2024.