Whitman Undergraduate Conference
Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Welcome to the 27th annual Whitman Undergraduate Conference, a celebration of the scholarship, critical thinking, self-driven exploration and creativity of Whitman students.
It’s time to start thinking about the Whitman Undergraduate Conference on April 15, 2025. Built into the Spring semester academic calendar, this is a day when all students are released from their regularly scheduled class obligations in order to attend the conference. The conference is a showcase of student-centered research shared via a program of posters, presentations, performances and panel discussions (see the conference web page for details).
Proposals should be submitted using the online conference registration form. In order to participate, each proposed conference submission must have a Whitman-affiliated staff or faculty member sponsor. The sponsor agrees to help the student(s) prepare for their conference contribution. The submission deadline for consideration is March 4, 2025. The conference is a great way for us to learn about and celebrate the intellectual pursuits and interests of our students and community.
While there is some flexibility in the kinds and lengths of presentations possible, here is a guide to help you understand the different options available:
A student or group of students create a large poster describing their topic; the poster is mounted on a panel, the panels are collected together in a large space (e.g., the Reid ballroom), visitors walk along aisles of posters, read them and ask questions of students as they stand near their posters. This event usually lasts around one hour, with dozens of posters and hundreds of visitors strolling through.
An individual piece of art (e.g. painting, sculpture) may also be displayed in this venue.
A student prepares a slide deck or notes about their topic and presents it to a classroom of visitors. Typically, a presentation is about 10 minutes with 5 minutes for questions and answers.
A student or group of students will perform a musical or dance piece.
A group of students might lead a moderated discussion on a topic they’ve researched. For example, a group of 5 students would sit at the front of the room and introduce themselves and the topic and then run a discussion with visitors.