Representing new research: Upcoming Research Week to highlight students’ diverse interests and achievements

One week at Liberty University allows students to find actors, historians, scientists, painters, engineers and students from every other Liberty major all presenting their findings from months of study. That week is Liberty’s Research Week. 

The annual Research Week is quickly approaching, and over 300 presentations and 400 presenters representing both Liberty University Online and residential students will be participating in the event from April 15-18 in the Jerry Falwell Library. This year’s Research Week will be the largest Research Week event to date.

Some of the presentations will be poster presentations, and others will be oral presentations. Other research endeavors will be performance or art based. Presentations are not limited to being in person, either. While residential students must present in-person, online students can choose to present in-person or online.

Along with the presentations, there will also be a keynote session from Dean of the School of Communication & the Arts Scott Hayes.

While the research processes and presentations for each project may differ, all of the projects require assistance from a faculty sponsor who guides students as they conduct in-depth research into topics that interest them. The process of finding faculty sponsors may look different for online students; however, Rorie Fredrich, the associate dean of research and customer services at the Jerry Falwell Library and an administrator of Research Week, gave praise to online professors.

“We have some amazing online professors who really go out of their way to spend time with their students and … foster and cultivate … these research interests and help them pursue it and do it well,” Fredrich said.

During the week, students’ presentations will be judged on several aspects of their research, including its significance, methodology, delivery and other criteria specific to each area of study. Prizes will also be given to the first-, second- and third-place winners of each category of research. 

Beyond the prizes, students participating in Research Week find many enduring benefits. One graduate student, Evelyn Loftin, who has been involved in several research competitions both in and outside of Liberty, reflected on what she views as the benefits of research week.

“I’m presenting three things this year, … which is just an awesome thing to add (to a resume) and to look well-rounded as a candidate for whatever you’re going to do in the future,” Loftin said. “It just gives you that confidence of being able to go somewhere and stand firm on the fact that you do know what you’re talking about and you’ve spent the time to research.”

All students can attend Research Week as a viewer and watch the various presentations, which can be a beneficial way to learn and support fellow Liberty students. To help facilitate more involvement, the Jerry Falwell Library is hosting a giveaway for students who attend four different types of Research Week events.   

“I enjoy going to see my friends get passionate about the research that they do,” Loftin said. “I think that it’s a really cool exchange where you get to see what people have spent so long working on, and you get to support them in that space.”

Another grad student, Dylan Cumbo, is presenting at Research Week for the first time this year and reflected on the benefits he has found from his research process.   

“I think it has helped me narrow down a lot of what I wanted to do in my historical studies and kind of sharpen my senses in terms of looking … for resources,” Cumbo said.

Throughout Research Week, student researchers have a special opportunity to dive deep into the topics and fields that they are passionate about. Students can gain better presentation skills, engage with audience members, answer questions and more.

“I think the interesting thing … about my presentation is that in a sense, not only am I showing the topics that I’m discussing, but it’s also kind of showing my development as a student,” Cumbo said.

Fredrich mentioned that Research Week surprises her every year with the different topics students research and their excitement about their projects. 

“They’ve got symbols and diagrams and numbers and charts and data, and it may not immediately make sense to me if it’s not my subject area specialty,” Fredrich said. “But almost always the students will say, ‘Well, don’t worry; it didn’t make sense to me either. And I learned this. I came to college not speaking this language, and now … this is meaningful to me.’”

To learn more about Research Week, visit this website.

Freund is a feature reporter for the Liberty Champion. Follow him on X