The Belmont SPARK Symposium
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.
If you plan to have students present at SPARK, please sign up here, if you have not done so already. In the Spring, we will roll out an official SPARK session registration process. Some key deadlines are:
- February 28th: SPARK Session Registration Deadline
- March 31st: Student Summary Deadline
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.
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.
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Email beth.bowman@belmont.edu with any questions.
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More details about oral presentations will be available in March.
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With the exception of 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
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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. Poster stands will be set up by the morning of the presentation
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More details about other presentations will be available in March
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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 classes are not held on this 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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More details about the SPARK schedule will be available in March. You can find the general schedule of the day here.
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Students who attend one presentation of each SPARK category will earn a SPARK Certificate. Student presenters will indicate which category their presentation falls in.
- 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!
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