Symposium for Student Research, Scholarship, and Creative Achievement
SYMPOSIUM FOR STUDENT RESEARCH, SCHOLARSHIP, AND CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENT
The 2025 Symposium for Student Research, Scholarship, and Creative Achievement is traditionally a single-day event that was held on Thursday, April 17, 2025, and was designed to showcase undergraduate and graduate student work.
MESSAGE FROM THE PROVOST AND VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
The 2025 SRU Symposium for Student Research, Scholarship, and Creative Achievement is a celebration of the exceptional scholarly and creative work taking place across our campus. It reflects the vibrant intellectual community at Slippery Rock University and the outstanding mentorship provided by our faculty. The symposium also exemplifies our institutional commitment to interdisciplinary inquiry and collaborative learning, encouraging students to explore complex questions through multiple lenses. It directly supports Pillar #1 of SRU’s Strategic Plan, which affirms our dedication to ensuring that all faculty, staff, and students have the resources and support necessary to thrive academically and professionally.
What distinguishes higher education—especially at a comprehensive university like SRU—is our dual mission of creating and disseminating knowledge. Faculty are not only educators but also scholars whose responsibilities include ongoing professional and intellectual growth. At SRU, we extend this mission by inviting students into the process of knowledge creation. Through hands-on research and creative endeavors, our students learn by doing—by formulating questions, designing studies, engaging in inquiry, and constructing new meaning alongside their faculty mentors.
The Symposium serves not only as recognition of these efforts, but also as a developmental milestone for our students. Their projects did not conclude when the data were collected or the artwork completed. The next step—synthesizing, refining, and presenting their findings—is where deeper learning occurs. As presenters, they now step into the role of teachers, offering new insights to their peers, faculty, and the broader SRU community. Whether through poster sessions, oral presentations, performances, exhibits, or publication in the Journal of Scholarly Endeavor, our students embody the spirit of academic curiosity and intellectual courage.
In closing, I want to express my sincere appreciation to the faculty mentors whose guidance and expertise made these projects possible. Your mentorship is at the heart of this work. I also extend heartfelt thanks to the Office of Grants, Research, and Sponsored Programs, especially Casey Hyatt and Rachel Seminatore, for their tireless coordination and dedication to student success. And finally, to our student presenters—thank you for going beyond what was required, for embracing the challenge of original inquiry, and for demonstrating the power of learning through discovery.
Dr. Michael Zieg
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Frequently Asked Questions and Guidelines
Please review the FAQs and Symposium Guidelines for Oral Presentations, Poster Sessions, Exhibits, and Performances. Bailey Library also offers very helpful guides on research and poster production.
The next Symposium will be held in April 2026. Details will be added towards the end of the fall 2025 semester.
If you have any questions, please call the Grants, Research, and Sponsored Programs Office at 724-738-4846 or email student.symposium@sru.edu.