CASE at Scholar Day

By Dr. Cheryl Price, Associate Dean for the School of Humanities and Social Sciences

If you had visited the Guillot University Center on April 4, you would have seen our banquet halls buzzing with activity. This year’s Experiential Expo brought together Scholar Day and the All Major Fair to showcase student research and help our soon-to-be-graduates meet potential employers. CASE was well-represented at this event, with approximately 50 students participating in poster and oral presentations as well as creative performances. I had the pleasure of moderating one of the oral presentation panels and got to hear students from Interdisciplinary Studies, Physics, and English Literature present their research. They discussed such varied topics as tracking pulsating stars, analyzing religion and disability in the works of Flannery O’Connor, investigating the use of language in social media, and their experience building a specialized laser to examine gemstone inclusions. All the papers were fascinating and provide a good snapshot of the wonderful research that was on display during the event. Events like Scholar Day demonstrate that CASE students are eagerly taking advantage of research opportunities offered by our dedicated faculty.

CASE also organized career and graduate school panels for the event, bringing some of our accomplished alumni back to campus to talk with students about their academic and career journeys. Each of our Schools had a career panel, in addition to a panel composed of graduating seniors who discussed their current experience applying to graduate school. Students heard valuable advice from our panelists, such as Molly Kathryn Cooper, a recent graduate of our Master’s in Family and Community Services program. Molly encouraged students to “say yes to new opportunities, try internships, job shadows, and anything that sparks your curiosity.” Dr. Dalton Wright, who earned his Bachelor’s degree from UNA and is a local dentist, reminded students “asking for help doesn’t equate to incompetence. UNA and its community is a lot like Hogwarts: help will always be given to those who ask for it.” Christian Walker, who has both undergrad and graduate degrees from the Department of Geoscience, told the audience “to embrace every opportunity for growth and learning. Don't miss out on experiences that challenge you and push you out of your comfort zone, whether it's joining a club, studying abroad, or taking on a leadership role. The lessons I learned at UNA—resilience, adaptability, and the importance of collaboration—have been invaluable in my professional life.” We deeply appreciate this, and all the other, invaluable advice panelists shared with our students.

If you would be willing to participate in similar events—both on campus or virtually—please reach out! We are always looking for alumni to talk to current or prospective students and would love for you to share your wisdom and experience!

        Dr. Cheryl Price