Liberal Arts and Sciences Symposium

Related Stories

A Celebration of Academic Work and Commitment to Service

Reasonable Doubts: Crime and Punishment in Society
April 24-26, 2024

Call for Proposals

The 2024 Liberal Arts and Sciences Symposium (LASS) Committee invites student proposals for participation in Oglethorpe University’s annual event. LASS brings together Oglethorpe University students and faculty in a celebration of exemplary scholarly and creative work produced by Oglethorpe students under faculty mentorship. This year’s theme of Reasonable Doubts: Crime and Punishment asks students to take the measure of crime and punishment in our society. The topic may be engaged on local or national levels and within a range of possibilities and disciplinary angles including the following: narratives of, counter-narratives of, spectacles of, sounds of, accounts of, economics of, nature of, responses to, histories of, structure of, and behavior behind and attitudes towards crime and punishment in society.

This year’s event will include sessions from Wednesday, April 24 – Friday, April 26. Sessions provide a forum for students to present and discuss their outstanding endeavors. Papers, roundtables, oral and poster presentations, art exhibitions, and scholarly musical presentations will showcase undergraduate research across the curriculum.

Students who wish to present on the theme are required to submit a proposal or abstract of their work.
The deadline for proposal submissions is 11:59 p.m., Friday, April 06, 2024. 

A committee of faculty from a variety of disciplines including the humanities and sciences will convene to review proposals and abstracts. Notification of proposal acceptance will be Wednesday, April 10.

Email [email protected] with any questions.

LASS Call for Faculty-Organized Sessions

The LASS Committee invites proposals for a limited number of faculty-organized sessions at this year’s Liberal Arts and Sciences Symposium. The intent of these sessions is for faculty who have identified student projects that are thematically or disciplinarily connected to have control over the organization of their session, in addition to serving as the presider/discussant. Sessions may take two forms:

  • “Traditional/Regular” Sessions – These sessions consist of four to five paper presentations that are disciplinarily or thematically connected. Presenters will have about 12-15 minutes to discuss their contribution, followed by discussant comments in some instances. Afterwards, the presider will open the floor to discussion and questions from the audience.
  • Critical Dialogue Sessions – This format includes short (5-7 minute) presentations by up to 6 students followed by facilitated dialogue that critically explores connections among the papers or projects. The audience will have an opportunity to participate in the dialogue as well. This provides the opportunity for both presenter and audience to engage in and deepen their exploration of the themes of the presenters’ work. This type of session may be more amendable to student work that is not of the “traditional” research paper format. The presider/discussant plays a more hands-on role in moderating and facilitating the dialogue.

Session proposals must include a brief abstract (max. 250 words) detailing the theme of the proposed session, along with the names of the participants, titles of their projects/papers, and proposed session format (traditional/regular or critical dialogue). Prior to submission of your proposal, ensure that the students you have identified are willing to participate.

Suggested but not mandatory: students may also submit a working draft of their presentations in an alternative form (visual, auditory for example) if that better expresses the vision for their intervention.

We will also have a special interdisciplinary Roundtable: The Fuller View. We invite submissions / student nominations from faculty for representing the following general areas of knowledge on the theme: Business, Physical Sciences, Social Sciences, Fine Arts, and the Humanities. The idea is to hold a close discussion and exploration of the complexities of crime and punishment in society that will showcase voices from these disciplinary angles. We hope that in engaging the same topic through an across-the-disciplines-OU interrogation will build /reveal a fuller picture.

Proposals are due by April 06, 2023, via email to [email protected]. Any questions can be directed to the LASS Chair, Iona Wynter Parks, at [email protected].


Liberal Arts and Sciences SYMPOSIUM Week Schedule of Events:

This year’s events will be held in-person at various campus locations.

Wednesday

1-2 p.m. Keynote address
3:30 – 5:30 p.m. Business Internships Presentations | Cousins Center
Any questions can be directed to Stephen Craft at [email protected]

Thursday

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. “Making a Difference” | Trustee Room, TLCC
Highlighting Student Activism at OU will spotlight the various ways Oglethorpe students are making a difference in their communities (whether on campus or beyond) that are not necessarily captured through academic work. This provides a dedicated space to celebrate and highlight the achievements of our students beyond the classroom, including:

  • student clubs/orgs
  • internships
  • community service

Any Oglethorpe University student can submit a proposal to participate in this event (see form below). Know an Oglethorpe student whose work is making a difference in their community? Invite them to submit a proposal! This is a space to share with the campus community how you are making a difference.

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Public Speaking Competition | Trustee Room, TLCC
Any questions can be directed to Melany Chambers at [email protected] and Morgan Clapp at [email protected].

TBA Poster Session – Sciences
6:00 p.m. Awards

Friday

Critical Dialogue Panels & Paper Panels
Art Showcase, location subject to weather
Honors Program
Music Showcase


FAQs

The Liberal Arts and Sciences Symposium (LASS) is an annual event that brings together Oglethorpe University students and faculty in a celebration of exemplary scholarly work produced by Oglethorpe students under faculty mentorship. The symposium’s sessions provide a forum for students and faculty to present, discuss, and learn from outstanding student endeavors. Papers, roundtables, oral and poster presentations, art exhibitions, and scholarly music presentations present the fruits of both Oglethorpe’s liberal arts curriculum as well as science, technology, and math research. You can explore programs and schedules from prior years below.

Events will run April 24-26, but the primary day of LASS will be held April 26, 2024.

“Traditional/Regular” Sessions – These sessions consist of four to five paper presentations that are disciplinarily or thematically connected. Presenters will have about 12-15 minutes to discuss their contribution, followed by discussant comments in some instances. Afterwards, the presider will open the floor to discussion and questions from the audience.

Critical Dialogue Sessions – This format includes short (5 minute) presentations by up to 8 students followed by facilitated dialogue that critically explores connections among the papers or projects. The audience will have an opportunity to participate in the dialogue as well. This provides the opportunity for both presenter and audience to engage in and deepen their exploration of the themes of the presenters’ work.

The university strongly encourages attendance at LASS. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the Oglethorpe campus community and experience our motto “Make A Life. Make A Living. Make A Difference” up close. Your instructor may require attendance for a particular class, so please check with your individual professors.

If you’re interested in your subject and proud of your commitment to the topic, that will show in your abstract and proposal. Any course-related subject with a faculty mentor is open to consideration by the LASS committee.
The Student Guide includes detailed information on writing an academic abstract or proposal. In addition, the Student Guide includes detailed information including presentation skills, preparing a poster, and dress code.

Resources: 

Poster Template

The 2024 Liberal Arts and Sciences Symposium (LASS) Committee invites student proposals for participation. Students who wish to present are required to submit a proposal or abstract of their work. The deadline for proposal submissions is Friday, March 29, 2024. A committee of faculty from a variety of disciplines including the humanities and sciences will convene to review proposals and abstracts. Notification of proposal acceptance will follow shortly thereafter.
Yes, you must work with a faculty mentor to write your proposal or abstract and to prepare for your presentation.
Business casual. Formal wear, party clothes, or clothing with slogans are generally not appropriate unless relevant to the content or tradition of your presentation. Follow these guidelines compiled by the A_LAB:
  • You may want a tailored jacket over a professional dress or pantsuit.
  • Shoes should be plain and not too tall (no platforms, sandals, or sparkle.)
  • No ‘club wear’ — short skirts, low-cut blouses, or tight-fitting clothes.
  • Hair, makeup, jewelry should be conservative. Pull your hair back if you play with it when nervous.
  • Hair and facial hair should be trimmed and neat; clean-shaven is generally best.
  • Shoes and belt should match in color.
  • No white socks.
  • No polo shirts, t-shirts, hats, athletic wear, sneakers.
  • No chewing gum, food, take-out cups, or cell phones.
LASS/PRISM participation puts you ahead of your peers in graduate school and in your profession when it comes to conference skills. Attending symposia and conferences and presenting research or speaking in your chosen field is a part of professional life. According to the ASAE (American Society for Association Executives), there are nearly 100,000 different organizations for professions in the United States alone. Graduate students routinely speak and present at academic conferences throughout their course of study.

Yes, this is a public, free event.

 

LASS 2023

 

LASS 2023: Spotlight on Student Internships, Organizations and Campus Initiatives

The Liberal Arts and Sciences Symposium (LASS) is an annual event that brings together Oglethorpe University students and faculty in a celebration of exemplary scholarly work produced by Oglethorpe students under faculty mentorship.

2023 LASS playlist

Contact

Email [email protected] with any questions.