Hallie Delashmit participated in Celebration of Learning

2012 May 7

More than 75 Augustana students from all academic areas shared their advanced research projects on Saturday, May 5, at the Celebration of Learning. This on-campus research symposium annually gives students an opportunity to show off their academic accomplishments to their families and the Augustana community.

Among the students involved:

Hallie Delashmit, a senior from Bloomington, Ill., majoring in business administration-marketing. The research was titled Examining Marketing Strategies of Augustana Business Day. Business Day is an annual job shadow event hosted by the business administration department at Augustana College that is geared toward all Augie students, regardless of their major. In an effort to increase the attendance of participating students and gain a better knowledge of which marketing tactics are working to encourage students to participate in Business Day, a survey was sent to all students before the event. The results were analyzed, providing suggestions about future marketing strategies for Business Day. Following the event, a separate survey was given to participating students and companies to provide further information on improving the annual Business Day event.

Celebration participants presented their research through a poster display or an oral presentation. Many students expounded on the results of their Senior Inquiry, a multiple-term research project required for most academic programs. Other students shared honors capstone projects or student-faculty research findings. Because of the advanced level of research involved, most of the presenters are upperclass students.

Anne Earel and Stefanie Bluemle, Augustana reference librarians and the event's co-directors, said the Celebration of Learning provided an outlet for students to showcase their accomplishments.

Presentations topics varied greatly and included anthropology, biology, physics, geography, gender studies, theater and more.