Students pursuing their educational journey and faculty/staff chronicling their ventures will have the chance to have their work recognized in the Academic Showcase. It will take place on May 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the academic and student center buildings on the Cartersville campus. 

This event provides students and faculty/staff with an opportunity to present their research in various formats, such as posters, oral presentations and exhibits.

The event is modeled after professional academic conferences, where participants submit a paragraph proposal explaining their intended topic rather than a completed paper. All posters will be printed for free by the GHC Libraries. 

“The showcase is designated as a high-impact practice by the American Association of Colleges and Universities,” Dean of Libraries and College Testing, Julius Fleschner, said. 

According to the GHC website, students who participate can enhance their competitiveness when applying to baccalaureate programs or graduate school, refine their resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV) and cultivate essential communication skills required to convey advanced concepts to others. 

Students who submitted an application before the deadline of March 29 should expect to receive a notification regarding their acceptance by March 31. 

The Academic Showcase administration will invite accepted participants to attend a virtual presenter orientation on April 11 at 8 p.m. The acceptance email will contain more information and a Zoom link for the orientation session. 

The poster submission deadline is April 14. Detailed instructions and assistance regarding presenting will be provided. 

First place student submissions in each track will receive $250, and second place submissions will receive $100. All presenters will receive a T-shirt.

“The showcase is meant to provide students with the freedom to showcase their research in their own unique way, whether it be through a poster, oral presentation or even an interpretive dance,” Fleschner said. 

The showcase will operate like the 2022 showcase: The faculty and staff will serve as judges. There will be a check-in table for attendees to receive badges and programs that list the presentations and designated room numbers. Oral presentations are held first, followed by poster presentations in the gym. There will be an award ceremony after the lunch break, which will conclude the event. 

“To have a good presentation, engagement is crucial, and originality is essential. When students put their project together, they should be original, confident and try to understand their audience,” Fleschner said. 

Students will stand beside their projects so judges and audience members can approach them to learn about their work. 

“The idea for this showcase was inspired by the poster presentations of nursing and dental students, who researched various concepts,” English Professor, Rachel Wall, said. “They presented their findings in a similar format, prompting Chief Academic Officer and Provost, Dana Nichols, to suggest that all subjects, including history, psychology, math and accounting, could participate.” 

Wall did not know what to expect during her first year, but she’s glad to have conducted a couple of sessions on leadership and film to help her colleagues get their students to work on projects. 

“With last year’s showcase being the first one, it was like trial and error. However, it was very successful, and this year’s event is expected to be even better,” Wall said. 

A surprise keynote speaker will be attending the showcase. 

Those interested can view the 2022 Academic Showcase program on the GHC website and contact [email protected] for questions and more information.