Student presenter guide
The Belmont SPARK Symposium celebrates student scholarship, performance, art, research and knowledge across all disciplines. Whether you're sharing a semester project, capstone research, creative work or performance, SPARK provides a platform to showcase your achievements to the Belmont community. This guide walks you through every step from deciding to present through your presentation day.
Am I ready to present?
If you've completed meaningful academic or creative work, you're ready for SPARK. We welcome presentations from undergraduate and graduate students across all disciplines — from engineering to music, nursing to design, business to theater.
The first step is discussing your project with your faculty mentor. They'll help you determine if your work is ready for presentation and guide you through the process. Don't worry if you've never presented before — SPARK is designed to support first-time presenters, and we offer preparation workshops to build your confidence.
All presentation formats are intentionally flexible to accommodate different types of work. Whether you prefer a traditional talk, poster, gallery exhibition or performance, there's a format that fits your project.
Registration timeline and deadlines
Registration opens: March 2026
Submission deadline: March 23, 2026
Mark these dates on your calendar now. Late submissions cannot be accepted to ensure adequate time for session planning and scheduling.
What you'll need to register
To complete your SPARK registration, prepare the following:
Your summary: Submit either a written abstract or video summary of your work. Your summary will be published to the SPARK Repository, creating a permanent, searchable record you can reference on your resume.
Faculty mentor approval:
Your faculty mentor must approve your work before you submit. While we'll send your submission to your mentor for final review, having their approval beforehand streamlines the process.
Presentation details:
- Your selected presentation type (talk, poster, gallery, performance)
- SPARK category (Scholarship, Performance, Art, Research, Knowledge)
- Co-presenter information if presenting with others
Privacy option: You can select "metadata only" to register without publishing your full summary to the repository while still participating in the symposium.
Important: There is no selection process for SPARK presentations. All student submissions that meet basic requirements are automatically accepted.
Your presentation timeline
Start the conversation. Meet with your faculty mentor to confirm your intent to present at SPARK. If you're presenting with classmates, decide together who will submit the registration and gather everyone's input before submitting.
Choose your category. Review the five SPARK categories (Scholarship, Performance, Art, Research, Knowledge) and identify which best describes your work. Your mentor can help if you're unsure.
Attend the preparation workshop. Join us for Work WELL No. 6: Presentation Skills on March 31 at 10 a.m. in JAAC 1034. You'll hear tips from faculty across campus on giving accessible, engaging presentations regardless of format. This workshop counts toward WELL Core credits.
Finalize details. Meet with co-presenters to discuss presentation logistics, timing and responsibilities. Decide how you'll divide speaking time or display space.
Spread the word. Invite friends, family and classmates to attend your presentation. Download our social media templates to promote your participation. Remind attendees they can earn WELL Core credits and a SPARK Badge by attending multiple presentations throughout the day.
Scout your location. Visit the room or space where you'll present so you know exactly where to go on SPARK day. Familiarize yourself with the setup.
Prepare for the day. Connect with your session moderator if you're giving an oral presentation. Pick up your presenter lanyard and decorate it to make it your own. For poster presenters, confirm your poster is printed and review the mounting instructions.
Choosing your presentation type
Short-form talk (10-20 minutes): The most popular format. Present your work in a focused talk, typically with slides, as part of a session with other presenters. Includes time for audience questionss.
Long-form talk (45-60 minutes): Extended presentations, usually for group projects or comprehensive work that requires more time to present thoroughly.
Poster presentation: Display your research or project on a printed poster. Stand by your poster during designated sessions to discuss your work with attendees who visit.
Gallery exhibition: Showcase creative or artistic work in a gallery setting where attendees can view and discuss your pieces throughout the day.
Performance: Present live artistic work such as mucis, dance, theater or other performing arts.
Not sure which formal fits your work best? Your faculty mentor can help you decide, or contact beth.bowman@belmont.edu for guidance.
Instructions
The SPARK Registration & Summary Submission Form is now closed.
We are excited to have you present at the Belmont SPARK Symposium. Please follow the link below to submit a summary for SPARK (available in March). Your summary will be published to the SPARK Repository, which is a searchable archive of research, scholarship, and artistic works. This means that you will have a website that you can point to in your resume to showcase your amazing work!
When registering to present at SPARK and submitting your summary, you have the option of submitting either a written or video summary; however, your submission must be approved by your faculty mentor prior to submission. Your summary will also be sent to your faculty mentor for one final review. While your submitted summary should be the finalized version, any changes your faculty mentor would like you to make must be done within 2 days of receiving feedback. While you will be submitting a summary now, you can add on full-length manuscripts, videos, or images following SPARK to better represent the entirety of your work.
A submission video tutorial and written instructions for submitting the Belmont Digital Repository can be found here.
You will be notified if there is a problem with your submission.
Preparing for your Presentation
We are co-hosting a WELL Core session to help you prepare for your Presentation! Check out the details below!
Work WELL #6 | Prepare | Presentation Skills, Monday, March 31, 10:00 am in JAAC 1034
Preparing your SPARK presentation? The SPARK symposium is a special opportunity to present your work across various disciplines at Belmont. Come to this event to hear tips and tricks from faculty across Belmont about how to give a rich presentation that is also broadly accessible to students and faculty. Whether you are giving a talk, a gallery, a poster, or a performance, and if this is your first or fifteenth presentation, we will have advice that will improve your preparation! Co-Sponsored by Career & Professional Development and SPARK Symposium.
- Read and accept the Submission Agreement within the submission form
- Provide information about yourself and any co-authors
- Upload your electronic file, if any, and associated files
- Download, print, sign, scan and upload the Copyright Distribution Agreement
- Submission is sent to Faculty Mentor for final review
- Changes requested by Faculty Mentor must be submitted within 2 days of receipt
- The submission’s title
- The summary
- A list of keywords (10 maximum)
- (Optional) An electronic format of additional full-length documents such as manuscripts, videos, or images
- Copyright Distribution Agreement signed and ready to upload
- You may change the order of authors by changing the number next to the author's name. The first author of a submitted summary is assumed to be the SPARK presenter. Please email if that is not true or if there are multiple presenters.
- The summary submitter may choose to not have your submitted summary published to the internet by selecting “Metadata Only” under Presentation Type.
- If you are only submitting a summary with no other documents needed, you can skip the option to upload a document.
- Either the student presenter or faculty mentor may submit the symposium summary; however, we encourage students and their faculty advisor to consider the opportunity a student submission will provide.
- Oral presentations have a hard 15-minute cap. Planning for a 10-minute talk and 5 minutes for questions is ideal!
- You can find detailed instructions for registering to present and submitting your summary on the repository website.
- Fire
- Fireworks, explosives, or any similar device
- Knives, guns, or any other weapons
- Alcohol and illegal drugs
- Unsafe chemicals, hazardous materials, blood, urine, fecal matter, or other elements of concern
- Sexually explicit imagery
- Unnecessary vulgar language
- Cruelty– animal, human, or otherwise
Questions?
Contact: beth.bowman@belmont.edu