The Belmont SPARK Symposium
April 16th, 2025
This Spring, the Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS) is expanding!
Led by dedicated faculty, our students push the boundaries of knowledge and creativity. To celebrate their work, the inaugural SPARK Symposium for student Scholarship, Performance, Art, Research, and Knowledge is going to be held on April 16th, 2025. From science to math and music to design, student work across campus is welcome, including undergraduate and graduate-level presentations.
SPARK day is going to be an academic day in the Spring. We encourage faculty not only to thoughtfully consider ways that students can present their work on this day, but also ways in which you may incorporate attending and engagement in SPARK into your spring curriculum. This symposium provides several amazing learning opportunities for students outside of the classroom, for students to dig more deeply into their area of education, for younger students to see examples of their future goals, and to broadly support other students who have sought excellence in their work. Please consider building SPARK into your plans for the spring.
Some key deadlines are:
- February 28th: SPARK Session Registration Deadline
- Faculty & Staff, the deadline to register a SPARK session has passed; please contact Beth Bowman if you'd like to add a session.
- March 31st: Student Presentation Registration & Summary Submission Deadline
- Register & Submit Summary HERE

Diverse Presentation Formats
From poster sessions, to art galleries, to performances and presentations, students can showcase their work across many different platforms.

Broad Project Scopes
Students can showcase their work from semester-long group projects to longer-term individual capstone projects and everything between.

Flexible Timing
Presentations can span from 15 minutes to 1.5 hour sessions or galleries. Help us envision the opportunities that serve your students best.
Presenter FAQs
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In order to register to present, you must submit a summary of your work to the SPARK repository.
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You can submit your presentation summary here. Please follow the instructions posted.
- There is not a selection process in chosing presentations for SPARK day. Students who submit a presentation are automatically granted a spot for their presentation.
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Email beth.bowman@belmont.edu with any questions.
- There will be a moderator present during your presentation, managing the flow and timing of the session as well as providing the QR code for WELL Core.
- Please visit the room that you will be presenting in prior to SPARK day to make sure you know where it is.
- We will have times for you to pick up a lanyard so that you can be designated as a presenter throughout SPARK day. This will be sent during SPARK week.
- Please follow any instructions from your faculty mentor as the most important information in your preparation.
We want your friends and faculty to know all about your presentation! We've created a Canva template that you can use to share your SPARK presentation through social media!
We will have your presentation time and location available about a week before SPARK and will email you with that. Once you get that, you can use this template to advertise
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Click here to access the template
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Select "Use template for new design"
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Change the "Session Name, Time, Location" to match your presentation time.
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Replace the photo placeholder (circle image of field) to your headshot.
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Upper right "Share", "Download", and "PNG".
During SPARK, Lunch on the Lawn is provided by the Belmont Formation Collaborative, a grant provided by the Kern Family Foundation. Lunch will be provided as First Come, First Served, and will be accompanied by the Belmont Rock Ensemble. Check out the schedule to learn more!
- You are assigned to a specific SPARK session, which you have been emailed. There are 15 minute gaps between sessions. Please arrive to your room at the start of this gap to ensure that your presentation is set up in advance!
- All rooms for oral presentations are set up for slides. Please email yourself and bring your presentation on a backup USB.
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With the exception of DNP Nursing, If you will be using the provided poster stands, your poster size should be 3 ft x 2 ft. Most individuals choose to make this 3 ft wide x 2 ft tall, but you could technically make your poster 2 ft wide x 3 ft tall.
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You should work with your advisor and department to get your poster printed. SPARK will not be responsible for printing your poster.
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You will be assigned a poster number. You can set up your posters from 9:30-10:15 before the 10:15 poster session start. You should take down your poster from 11:45-12:00 at the end of the poster session. Your poster is yours to take, unless your mentor would like to use it.
- You will be sent your final presentation time about a week before SPARK.
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Please email your faculty mentor, session chair, or Beth Bowman (beth.bowman@belmont.edu) with questions about other presentation types.
While there is no official dress code for SPARK, please remember this is a professional presentation opportunity. Generally speaking, business casual should be appropriate. Check in with your faculty mentor if you have any questions or concerns about dress. Keep in mind that we will have lunch on the lawn during SPARK (unless it is raining...we'll be inside then), so dress so you can enjoy lunch too.
Attendee FAQs
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Earn up to 10 WELL Core credits across different categories through the day (1 for each session; up to 2 for the Poster/Gallary session)
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Support your friends & learn about work done outside of the classroom
- Earn a SPARK Badge for attending one of each type of presentation (Scholarship, Performance, Art, Research, and Knowledge)
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Earn credit for the Career & Professional Development "My Career Plan"
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Free lunch for the first 2200 attendees! (more details to come)
- Add the SPARK Symposium on your resume in a diversity of ways. Check out the options in this example resume!

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SPARK day will be held on April 16th. This day is reserved for the Symposium so that students and faculty can support the incredible work of our students. While undergraduate classes are not held on this day, this is still an academic day. Many undergraduate and some graduate courses are incorporating presentations or attendance for SPARK within their curriculum. Students should plan to attend the SPARK Symposium
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Find a detailed schedule of the day here!
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Students who attend one presentation of each SPARK category (Scholarship, Performance, Art, Research, and Knowledge) will earn a SPARK Badge. Session leaders have specified which category each session falls into. Learn more here! You will be notified after SPARK if you have earned the SPARK Badge.
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During SPARK, Lunch on the Lawn is provided by the Belmont Formation Collaborative, a grant provided by the Kern Family Foundation. Lunch will be provided as First Come, First Served, and will be accompanied by the Belmont Rock Ensemble. Check out the schedule to learn more!
- Are you interested in supporting SPARK, either before the event or during SPARK day?
- Email beth.bowman@belmont.edu. We will add you to the list of volunteers and will get you options for ways to support the event later in the spring. We'd love to have your help!
The 2025 Inaugural SPARK Symposium is made possible by generous support from:
- The Donald B Ramage BURS Fund
- David Gregory, Belmont Provost
- The Belmont O'More College of Architecture & Design
- The Belmont Jack C. Massey College of Business
- The Belmont Gordon E. Inman College of Nursing
- The Belmont College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
- The Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business
- The Belmont Office of Alumni Engagement
- The Andrea Waitt Carlton Family Foundation Lecture Series
- The Kern Family Foundation
A special thank you to the SPARK Task Force that supported the development of the symposium:
- Clare Eng, CMPA
- Susan Finch, CLASS
- Katie Mitchell, Watkins
- Rachel Rigsby, CSM
- Christian Williams, CPHS
The current SPARK Task Force:
- Kathryn Dambrino, Inman
- Jamaine Davis, FCOM
- Clare Eng, CMPA
- Darcie Finch, COE
- Susan Finch, CLASS
- Priscilla Gitimu, O'More
- Katie Mitchell, Watkins
- Patrick Morse, CSM
- Dustin Rumbaugh, Massey
- David Schreiber, Curb
- Christian Williams, CPHS