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By: Abigail Frye
Twitter: @Abigail_EF
Email: fryea@findlay.edu
The University of Findlay hosted its 11th Symposium for Scholarship and Creativity on Friday, April 6 with many speakers, faculty and students participating. During the day, donors to UF also get the chance to come and witness what their contribution has done for the University, along with get the chance to meet students in a donor recognition luncheon.
Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Darin Fields explains that SSC, as it is reffered to now, began in 2007, previously being known as Academic Excellence Day.
“The goal of this day is to highlight scholarship and creativity across all the disciplines in one day,” said Fields. “All year long students do scholarly activities, and this is an opportunity to bring it all together.”
Students had the chance to see something new in this year’s Symposium as Fields adds that the poster session would take place in the new Center for Student Life and College of Business building instead of Croy Gymnasium.
The Academic Affairs office helps with running SSC by making sure the event is organized and paid for, but Fields admitts that it is a collaborative activity with all colleges being represented in the planning.
“We all work very hard for this to happen,” said Fields.
Along with students receiving awards for academic achievement and presenting the projects they conducted over the course of the school year, alumni students also have the chance to come back to UF for the day.
Fields emphasizes the importance of alumni speakers, and what it can mean for current and prospective students attending the speeches.
“It is an opportunity to celebrate successful graduates and it extends the scope to celebrate scholarship,” said Fields.
Fields also believes that the Symposium for Scholarship and Creativity is not only useful in the sense of recognizing certain student accomplishments, but also in encouraging other students.
“It gives students the opportunity to see what their peers are doing in one easy day so they can witness their accomplishments and be encouraged to participate next year and grow,” said Fields.
He adds that it is encouraged that students leave the Symposium inspired in their academics.
“If you see something really cool and it inspires you to do a project, that’s a great outcome,” said Fields. “Anything to get you to push yourself out of your comfort zone.”
Some of the big awards winners this year include Kaleb Brown and Rebecka Stricker, recipients of the Founder’s Son and Daughter Awards, Uxue Viguria who received the Kuenzli-Harada Scholarship, and both Amanda Winner and Taren Sullivan who were awarded the Mancuso Award.
