Posters, Parties, and Presentations

Vol 3 No 10

convocation (n.)

late 14c., convocacioun, "assembly of persons; the calling or holding of a meeting, assembling by summons," from Old French convocation and directly from Latin convocationem (nominative convocatio) "a convoking, calling, or assembling together," noun of action from past-participle stem of convocare "to call together," from assimilated form of com "with, together"  (Harper)

We are rapidly hurtling toward the end of the semester and it's not going to slow down until we get right to the end.  It's always amazing to me that the end sneaks up on me every time.  This is my 15th year of teaching and I'm STILL surprised that next week is Thanksgiving and and then we are on into December.

And speaking of December, there's an amazing opportunity for all Honors students and I hope I will encourage you to take part.  It's the Fall 2018 Honors Convocation.  Twice now we have hosted an Honors Convocation and both times it has been an amazing experience for those who participated.  The first part is something open to all.   The poster session.

Poster sessions are a staple of student and faculty conferences and research across all disciplines and in all sorts of contexts.  It's more than just a chance to be creative and colorful, it's also an opportunity to think about what is truly significant and important about the work you are doing.  Showcasing this work celebrates the importance of intellectual rigor and taking the value of your learning beyond the walls of the classroom.  Faculty at North Carolina State University describes this kind of poster as a "[a] source of information, [a] conversation starter, [an] advertisement of your work, [and a] summary of your work" (Hess, Tosney, Liegel).  To be effective, a poster has to be a "visual communication" so that you can "get your main point(s) across to as many people as possible" (Hess, Tosney, Liegel).  We aren't a formal conference and you won't be judged on your poster, which makes this the perfect place to practice a skill that will serve you well as you move on in your academic career.  So, plan a poster!



To help with the poster making process, we will be gathering at the Study-a-Thon in the library on 11/29 at 7:00 to make posters together.  I'll bring markers, crayons, colored pencils, and poster board.  Bring any supplies you need and come on out!  There's food and other amazing things in the library that evening, as well.  Come relax and make posters with us.  I always end up wanting to go home after I've committed to going to this evening in the library, but you know what?  It does me good.  I always have an amazing time with the students who gather and we have great conversations about everything from what's going on in our Honors classes to popular television shows to plans for the future both near and far.  At this point in the semester, it is so important to take time out to just relax and making a poster can be a great way to do that.  You don't need to be an artist or creative or even prone to staying in the lines when you color.  You just have to figure out how to visually represent something you're learning.  We have to brag about Honors, so let's do it together.  And let's do it in a way that lets us relax a little bit as well.  You can even get help with other classes as well - or play games, have snacks, get a massage.  So many worthy reasons to go.

As for the Convocation, there's another piece in addition to the poster display.  That evening, for an hour, we gather in Stage 14.  This is a very special capstone for the day.  At that time, four Honors students will present their work to those in attendance.  They will present some aspect of the work they've done and leave some time for questions as well.  As something of a mini conference, these students are invited to practice skills that will serve them so well as they move forward in their academic and professional careers. Although speaking about a large conference on criminal justice, I agree with a faculty member who describes presenting as "the opportunity to showcase and get feedback on your work" as well as being "an opportunity to make connections, collaborate and explore" (Beshears) In short, it's a way "to feel as though you are making a real difference" (Beshears).  In the last two Convocations, we have had everything from memoirs and literary narratives to research papers and reflective essays.  Students have shared portions of their projects, journals, papers, presentations, or other elements of their work.  Perhaps this will be YOU?

Works Cited

(with implied hanging indents) 

Beshears, Michael L.  "The Benefits of Presenting and Attending Professional Conferences."  In Public Saftey.  American Military University, 13 Mar. 2017, inpublicsafety.com/2017/03/benefits-presenting-attending-professional-conferences/.  Accessed  Nov. 2018.

Harper, Douglas.  "Convocation."  Etymonline. Online Etymology Dictionary, 2018,  www.etymonline.com/word/convocation#etymonline_v_18320.  Accessed 15 Nov. 2018.

Hess, George, Katherine Tosney and Leon Liegel.  "An Effective Poster."  Creating Effective Poster Presentations.  North Carolina State University, 2013, projects.ncsu.edu/project/posters/index.html. Accessed 15 Nov. 2015.