Campus artists bring their best

President Sullivan will soon get the chance to see what UVM’s creative side has to offer.

The Honors College and the Office of the Vice President for Research are working in conjunction to host a Student Scholar Poster Competition to honor the Installation Ceremony of President Tom Sullivan. 

Students submitted posters depicting their current area of study Sept. 10 to be judged by a panel of 15 volunteer faculty members from six different colleges, according to the Office of the President’s website.

The administration wanted to find a way to showcase the research, scholarship and creative works of students at Vermont’s sole research university, said Domenico Grasso, vice president for research and dean of the Graduate College. 

“We looked to models around the country and found that the University of Virginia had held a student poster competition for their new President’s Installation Ceremony and thought the idea would fit well at UVM,” Grasso said.

Entries will be judged on many criteria, including creativity, innovation and impact of the work on society, the website stated.

There will be one winner, chosen from a pool of five finalists, in each of the five categories: Arts and Humanities; Food Sciences and Environment; Health and Biological Studies; Physical Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering; and Social Sciences, Education and Business. 

The winner from each category will be formally recognized by President Sullivan at his official Installation Ceremony Oct. 5, and will receive a prize of $250. Any student currently enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate or medical program was eligible to enter the contest. 

While it is still early in the year, and many new students may be adjusting to college life, some, like first-year Guthrie Stoltzfus, show that they are up for the challenge. 

 “I hope that my poster represents the global perspective that UVM holds as foundation for their education,” Stoltzfus said. 

The posters will be judged and available for online viewing between Sept. 11 and Sept. 21, and students can view the submissions in the Maple Ballroom at the Davis Center during the final judging period, starting Oct. 3, according to the website.