Bolstering Departmental Ethos: Undergraduate Research and Credibility of our Discipline

• In Event: Writing, Presenting, and Publishing Undergraduate Research

Abstract

The author has mentored and managed the national (NCA) and international (ICA) presentations of Marist students since the mid-1990’s. In this paper, he describes the positive impact that undergraduate research can have on a communication program's campus credibility and status. As a case in point, several years ago, Marist undergrads were presenting research in preparation for their NCA presentations when some faculty from the School of Science came by and asked what they were doing. After the students had explained their methodology, analysis and results from their studies, the impression-change was instantaneous and powerful.

Author

• Daniel Davis, Marist College