Millikin University will celebrate the scholastic and artistic achievements of students throughout the campus community during its 2016 Celebrations of Scholarship (COS) beginning Thursday, April 28, at 7 p.m. with Honors Convocation in Kirkland Fine Arts Center.
Millikin's Celebrations of Scholarship will continue on Friday, April 29, with a full day of student presentations from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. on the Millikin campus.
One of the highlights of the academic year, the annual Celebrations of Scholarship recognizes the research, scholarship and creative efforts of students from all four colleges and the University-wide Honors Program, showing that an education focused on engaging students in the theory and practice of their disciplines develops accomplished scholars prepared for graduate and professional study or challenging positions in the workplace.
"Celebrations of Scholarship is a time when the fruits of countless hours of student work, study, practice, attention, energy and striving are made public to recognize, instruct, enrich, and of course, celebrate," said Millikin Provost Dr. Jeffery P. Aper. "Millikin University is an extraordinary, vibrant community of thinkers and doers, all of which is reflected in the range and depth of the student-work given a public forum during the annual Celebrations of Scholarship."
Nicole Koch, a junior biology major from Morton, Ill., is one of several students who will be presenting her work at Celebrations of Scholarship. Koch will discuss her work on the effects of injuries during development on frog performance as adults.
"Celebrations of Scholarship is a great opportunity to present my research in front of an audience," Koch said. "Presenting my own research will also help me become a unique standout when applying for physical therapy school."
Multiple sessions on April 29 will be held across the campus, modeled on a scholarly conference format. The event will represent scholarship across a wide range of disciplines including behavioral sciences, modern languages, exercise science and sport, entrepreneurship and nursing.
Peter Piers, a senior chemistry major from Schaumburg, Ill., will also be presenting his research at Celebrations of Scholarship. Piers has engaged in creating and studying hollow nanoparticles, specifically clumps of silver atoms coated with clumps of gold atoms, to see if they can one day be injected into tumors to destroy cancer from the inside out without harming healthy tissue.
"It's taught me a lot about what chemistry can actually do for the human body," Piers said. "It's also inspired me to go to graduate school."
The event on April 29 extends beyond research presentations. Scheduled events include everything from a business competition featuring student-created businesses to theatre students presenting their scene work. The event will showcase Honors Freshmen, Long-Vanderburg Scholars and the Millikin Premier Writers Contest.
In addition, the 23rd annual Millikin COS Poster Symposium, dedicated to Judy and the late G. Richard Locke, M.D., will showcase poster displays of research from 1 – 3 p.m.
For more information and a full list of Celebrations of Scholarship presentations, visit millikin.edu/cos.
Click here to read more about this year's Celebrations of Scholarship in an article from the Herald & Review.