In addition to Meredith students anticipating Celebrating Student Achievement (CSA) Day, Meredith faculty look forward to CSA Day as a way to support student success and interact with faculty across various departments.
Dr. Jason Andrus, Department Head for Biology, said, “CSA Day represents the culmination of our students’ educational experience, putting their training, knowledge, creativity and experience into practice. Taking a day to recognize the efforts of not only our students, but our colleagues as well, is energizing and inspiring.”
Dr. Jeffrey Martinson, Associate Professor of Political Science, added that CSA Day is important because “people need to restlessly interrogate what they ‘think they know’ in pursuit of deeper, more accurate truths…this research brings us to a better grasp on reality.”
“I love CSA Day because we get to see so many varieties of knowledge, skills and talents on display,” Dr. Shannon Grimes, Department Head for Religious and Ethical Studies, stated.
Dr. Andrus said he also enjoys seeing the work that has been done across campus disciplines. “[It] makes me reflective about my own work and how I can connect with my colleagues across campus,” he explained.
When asked what he is most excited for, Dr. Karthik Aghoram, Professor of Biological Sciences and Director of the Pre-Health Post Baccalaureate Program, shared that he is most looking forward to the poster session. “It is a great way to learn about many projects in a short period of time,” he said.
Cathy Rodgers, Professor of Theatre, said, “It is so rewarding to see the growth in my students as a faculty research mentor.” Steven Roten, Professor of Theatre, added that he has “only pride for the hard work and vision of [his] students.”
For students interested in conducting undergraduate research or participating in CSA Day, Dr. Pamela Norcross, Assistant Professor of Child Development, emphasized, “A good research project takes time, so make sure you give yourself enough time to complete a thorough project.”
Dr. Jeff Langenderfer, Associate Professor of Marketing and Law, reiterated the importance of starting early. Dr. Langenderfer stated that, ideally, research for CSA Day begins during the summer prior.
To emphasize the importance of undergraduate research, Dr. Anne York, Professor of Economics, added that “undergraduate research projects are a way to ‘get your hands dirty’ to see how new knowledge is created.”
For more information about undergraduate research, students can contact Dr. Carolina Perez-Heydrich, Director of Undergraduate Research, by email at cperezheydrich@meredith.edu.
By Molly Perry, Features Editor
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