The Newman University bi-annual Scholars Day will take place for degree-seeking students beginning at 9 a.m. Friday, May 6, for a jam-packed day of more than 100 presentations in the course of just three hours. This is the final requirement for a student’s graduation and is part of the Newman Studies Program curriculum, which was implemented several years ago.
Scholars Day is an important part of the Newman curriculum because it allows students the opportunity to present a major project that encompasses years of study in their field to an audience who will ask questions and gauge students’ ability to handle real-time interactions and provide insightful responses. The presenters have a sponsor in accordance with their major, who oversaw and mentored them in crafting their projects.
The projects to be presented range from Al Capone to Starbucks, to oral cavity cancer, and the infinity. To fit the presentation topics into a three-hour time slot, many of these presentations will occur simultaneously beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at noon.
Oral presentations, posters, and performances are the three modes students are afforded to present through, although performances are delegated strictly to theatre and art majors. Scholars Day will take place on the first and second floor of Eck Hall except for the performances, which will take place in the De Mattias Fine Arts Center.
Oral presentations and poster sessions are broken up into three, one-hour block sessions, with session A starting at 9 a.m., session B at 10 a.m., and session C at 11 a.m.
Scholars Day performances will be held in the Jabara Flexible Theatre, located on the first floor at the western end of the De Mattias Fine Arts Center. The rest of the performances will be in the main hallway of De Mattias. The first performance starts at 9:30 a.m. in the Jabara Theatre, and the remaining presentations are at 10 a.m., except for capstone presentations which are in the Jabara Theatre at 11 a.m.
View the map of the Newman University Wichita campus for locations
After the Scholars Day sessions end, there will be a special panel held about the Gerber ASC International Initiative at 2 p.m. in Eck 127. The panel is hosted by Emily Simon, Diana Stanley, and Brandi Boese, and sponsored by Professor of History and Director of International Studies Cheryl Golden.
Simon provides this insight into the panel: “The focus of our individual talks will probably revolve around the religious experiences we encountered abroad, especially in connection with the ASC missions, but it should be a more informal discussion – pictures, some fun travel stories, and some snacks. This is our chance to thank those who helped make these trips possible and start building connections between the Newman community and the global mission of the ASCs.”
Scholars Day will feature intriguing topics as well as the closing panel. To learn more about particular events and times, see the full schedule.
