Present a creative or scholarly project while competing for cash prizes and gaining valuable insight from faculty and staff judges.
For over 20 years, the Student Symposium has encouraged interdisciplinary discourse, allowing students to learn from each other about the topics that are most engaging to them. The symposium also provides an opportunity to discuss work with a broader audience than what is usually found in the classroom.
Every year, the Student Symposium accepts both poster and paper presentation entries and is open to any student from Ball State University (undergraduate and graduate), Burris Laboratory School, and the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities.
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Are you proud of your project? Don't let it disappear after the Student Symposium! Add your work, symposium posters and papers, to Cardinal Scholar.
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Frequently Asked Questions
All Ball State students from all disciplines are eligible and encouraged to participate. That includes graduate and undergraduate students and those from Burris Laboratory School and the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities.
Yes. However, due to space constraints, one project can only have up to four presenters (one primary and three co-presenters).
Students are allowed to be a primary presenter on only one project, but can be a co-presenter on other projects. However, consider that it may be difficult for an individual to adequately participate in presenting multiple projects.
Abstracts should be 2,500 characters or less and should include the project purpose or a problem statement and what you created or concluded. Or, in the case of an incomplete project, what your expected outcomes are.
The Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA) provides poster boards (4ft x 4ft) to any student. However, due to limited resources, there is a limit of one per project on a first-come first-serves basis. Please check the appropriate box on the registration form to reserve a board.
That is fine, as long as that research was not presented in a previous Symposium.
The work does not have to be completed as long as a reasonable presentation can be made that conveys the essential aspects of the project.
You must have a substantive understanding of and/or involvement in the concept and methodology of the project, and your faculty mentor must agree to your presenting it.
A faculty mentor is any Ball State faculty member who has knowledge of your research or creative efforts and may have offered direction, advised, or intellectual leadership regarding your project.
He or she may be a thesis adviser, class professor, project coordinator, or any academic professional who has had a hand in helping you shape your study or creative activity.
A funder or sponsor is any external or internal source of support that supplied funding through a grant award.
Examples include: the ASPiRE Internal Grant Program, an Honors College Undergraduate Fellowship, the Indiana Academy of Science, and the Indiana Campus Compact.
External funding is not required to present at the Student Symposium.
Please choose ONE department that best matches the subject matter of your submitted project, or choose your faculty mentor’s department.
If your project is most closely aligned with a center or institute, or an interdisciplinary program, indicate the name in the appropriate location.
A confirmation email will be sent to the primary presenter that will include the details of your registration.
If the primary presenter does not receive this email within two business days, please contact Linda Swartz or call our office at 765-285-1600.
Student presenters are encouraged to dress in the manner that best represents them as scholars and professionals.
Business casual is strongly recommended. Students are reminded that they will be presenting to an audience of their peers, faculty mentors, University administrators, and members of the community.
SPA does not provide any equipment. It is the responsibility of the presenters to reserve/provide/bring any special equipment for projects.
Media equipment can be reserved through individual departments or through Educational Technology and Resources Collection, located in the basement of Bracken Library.
If you need access to an outlet, please specify this on the registration form so that your project is placed appropriately. You will need to provide your own surge protector.
All effort should be made to submit complete and accurate information when registering. Changes made after the submission deadline may not be reflected in final Symposium materials.
Yes. You may withdraw after registering. Email stusymposium@bsu.edu as soon as possible.
Please remember that registration for the Student Symposium is a professional commitment. If you think you will not be able to attend, do not register.
Unfortunately, we are not able to field these requests due to the short time frame to tally the scores and the volume of applicants.
Yes. The program will be available in limited supply after the Symposium. Please contact our office by email or 765-285-1600 to request a copy.
Yes! Anyone can attend this event. You are particularly encouraged to invite faculty members from your department.