[...] Academics Additional Learning Opportunities Scholarship & Research

Celebration of Scholarship & Creativity

Discover the important topics & issues Worcester State students are exploring.

See students’ passion or express your own with a project.

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

Established in 2008, the Celebration of Scholarship & Creativity is an annual tradition that gives the Worcester State University community the opportunity to showcase the outstanding research, scholarship, and creative projects that our undergraduate and graduate students are doing. With poster presentations, critical papers, panel discussions, performances, and exhibits, this event illuminates the best examples of work from across all academic disciplines on our campus and clearly reflects our commitment to student achievement in scholarship and creativity.

Through the generosity of anonymous donors and the family of Catherine T. Novick, the Worcester State University Library offers four Library Research Awards of $500 each to recognize “exemplary work and extraordinary dedication of student researchers who present at the Celebration.” Consideration for one of these awards requires that you fill out a brief supplementary form. A link is provided on the main application to the Celebration.

There will be six interactive information sessions for applying to and presenting at the 2025 Celebration of Scholarship and Creativity and 2025 Massachusetts Undergraduate Research Conference. These will be open to and useful for undergraduates and graduate students interested in presenting and faculty members interested in advising student projects.

Thursday, January 23, 2:30-3:30 pm, in-person in Administration Building Room 357 and by Zoom at https://worcester.zoom.us/j/93785587709
Wednesday, January 29, 3:30-4:30 pm, by Zoom at https://worcester.zoom.us/j/95066296830
Friday, February 7, 9:30-10:30 am, by Zoom at https://worcester.zoom.us/j/97929721149
Tuesday, February 18, 1:30-2:30 pm, in-person in Administration Building Room 357 and by Zoom at https://worcester.zoom.us/j/95735868675
Thursday, February 20, 1-2 pm, by Zoom at https://worcester.zoom.us/j/94296681205
Wednesday, February 26, 8:30-9:30 am, in-person in Administration Building Room 357 and by Zoom at https://worcester.zoom.us/j/95079656676

Apply to the 2025 celebration

Application Deadline: February 28, 2025, 3:00pm

Booklets

2024 Celebration of Scholarship & Creativity Booklet
2023 Celebration of Scholarship & Creativity Booklet
2022 Celebration of Scholarship & Creativity Booklet
2021 Celebration of Scholarship & Creativity Booklet
2020 Celebration of Scholarship & Creativity Booklet
2019 Celebration of Scholarship & Creativity Booklet
2018 Celebration of Scholarship & Creativity Booklet
2017 Celebration of Scholarship & Creativity Booklet
2016 Celebration of Scholarship & Creativity Booklet
2015 Celebration of Scholarship & Creativity Booklet
2014 Celebration of Scholarship & Creativity Booklet
2013 Celebration of Scholarship & Creativity Booklet
2012 Celebration of Scholarship & Creativity Booklet
2011 Celebration of Scholarship & Creativity Booklet
2010 Celebration of Scholarship & Creativity Booklet
2009 Celebration of Scholarship & Creativity Booklet

Information for Presenters

If you are or are planning to present at the Celebration of Scholarship and Creativity, please review the following information to ensure that you meet all of the content requirements and deadlines for participation.

The Worcester State Celebration of Scholarship and Creativity (CSC) is your opportunity to showcase an outstanding research, scholarly or creative project. To participate, you will need to submit a precise summary or “abstract”. This short but well-structured blurb will be published in the event program and will better enable attendees to make decisions about which presentations, critical papers, panel discussions, performances, and exhibits they would like to see. Use this guide to help you compose an abstract specifically for this event.

CSC Abstract Writing Basics
Much like an abstract you might write for an academic publication or conference, your CSC abstract must be clear, concise and to the point. It should be written in the style of your longer work or presentation, but it should also be accessible to a general audience. So, avoid highly technical language, and use the three-part CSC abstract structure:
Context: Here’s the problem or issue
Project: Here’s what I/we did to understand or address it
Results: This what came out of my/our work

CSC Abstract Length Requirements
In order to ensure inclusion of the abstracts for all of the student presentations of the CSC, the length of any one abstract is limited to approximately 50-125 words.

Abstract Checklist
Did you state the purpose/topic of your project?
Did you describe your main questions/goals?
Did you clearly describe you methods/what you did?
Did you describe your findings/product?
Did you state your conclusions/what was learned from your work?
Did you check your spelling and grammar?
Did you define any technical terms or abbreviations?

Example Abstracts
Helpful examples of past CSC abstracts from virtually every discipline are available in the “Past event booklets” section above. The following examples were selected from the 2018 CSC booklet as good representations of CSC abstract writing.
If you’d like to sit one-on-one with a writing consultant to develop your draft for submission, email writingcenter@worcester.edu, stop by Sullivan 306, or call 508-929-8112.
Science abstract example
Analysis of Chloride, Nitrate, and Heavy Metals in Surface Water and Soil
Student: Anna Haynes; Faculty Advisor: Kathleen C. Murphy, Ph.D.
The concentration of contaminants in environmental waters has become a major focus with a wide range of contributing factors. The project’s goal was to assess the levels of nitrate, chloride, and heavy metals (Cd, Ni, Pb) in soil and surface water adjacent to roads. Ion-selective electrodes, graphite furnace, and flame atomic absorption spectroscopy were used. Water yielded low signals while soil was more concentrated, mainly with lead (Pb).
Social science abstract example
Social Engagement on a College Campus
Student: Meghan Powers; Faculty Advisor: Joanne Gallagher-Worthley, Ed.D., OTR/L, CAPS
Participation within one’s community has been shown to benefit individuals’ physical, psychological, and social well-being. Unfortunately, the majority of individuals experience a decrease in community engagement during early adulthood, specifically during the time spent in college. This study examined the factors preventing undergraduate students from engaging in campus life, as well as their feelings of belonging on campus.
Humanities abstract example
Exploring and Defining Black Identity in America Today
Student: Elijah Grant; Faculty Advisor: Henry C. Theriault
Through phenomenological and existentialist philosophical concepts, especially from black existentialism, this paper takes up the question of whether it is possible to identify a defining essence of black identity in the United States. The paper argues that any black identity has external determinants that undercut claims of an essence, and develops a concept of black identity that fits within this complex framework.
Creative activity abstract example
See/Say
Student: Jeffrey Ellis; Faculty Advisor: Catherine Wilcox-Titus, Ph.D.
Art has been vexed by a division between art for art’s sake and art made for commercial or propagandistic ends. This project uses a variety of printmaking techniques to project a clear political message while retaining a strong aesthetic content. The goal is to blur the line between art meant to advertise and art that is purely for visual consumption. The finished work informs without telling and speaks without words, while also being aesthetically compelling.
For students creating poster presentations, the following requirements must be followed for producing your poster on time:
1) Your poster must be received NO LATER THAN Wednesday, April 2 at 4:00pm—any files received after this deadline cannot be guaranteed to be printed.
2) The PDF file(s) must be actual size (they cannot be printed at some percentage other than 100%) and the file must be a High-res Print Ready PDF file. Recommended size is 36”x 48”
3) The posters cannot bleed off the edge of any sides of the paper. An allowance of approximately 1” of white space all around is required.
4) There will be no reprints once a poster is printed so please double and triple check for accuracy typos and layout. We can provide one (1) 8.5×11 color copy for proofing.
5) The posters cannot contain a solid color background or have a high coverage of ink. The posters can contain colored text and images, but the overall background needs to be white.
6) The posters will be printed on a satin heavyweight high quality inkjet paper. We cannot laminate or mount the posters.
7) Please see your department or faculty sponsor to submit your poster for printing.
IMPORTANT: There is a strict deadline — All PDF files must be received NO LATER THAN 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 3rd – any files received after this deadline will receive an email stating that they will not be printed.
Please make sure if the WSU logo is CORRECTLY used and it is PROPORTIONALLY SCALED.
CORRECT
Logo is not distorted
WRONG
Logo is stretched

WRONG
Logo is distorted
If you have any questions, please call or email
Mecca Smith — msmith50@worcester.edu — x8112 or
Mark LaCroix — mlacroix2@worcester.edu — x8532
Download Poster Printing Guidelines PDF

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