Student reflects on NCUR experience

I had the privilege of receiving sponsorship from Governors State University to attend the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR), held on April 11 through 13, 2013. Before sharing lessons learned and experiences shared, I must first express my gratitude to Dr. Terry Allison and Dr. Larry Levinson whom encouraged students to submit an abstract, develop project research skills, and participate in an event which promotes sharing amongst diverse students who are passionate about learning.
Starting conversations with other students was easy with obvious ice-breaking questions such as, "What topic will you be presenting? What is your study major? Which school and state are you from?" Because of this, people already knew which school and state that I was from. I am in the BHA program and my presentation topic was entitled, "The ABCs of ACOs aka Accountable Care Organization.
I presented my topic on April 11 at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse's (UW-L) Centennial Hall. I was in a session with three other students that presented on health sciences and public health topics. My previous Power Point presentation experience in coursework had been to deliver an occasional five minute speech in a group project. My research provided fifteen minutes of material for the oral presentation and sufficient background knowledge to feel comfortable answering questions. I relied on my written report as a crutch during my presentation more than I had planned. I have not yet developed the ability to speak with the same conversational flow as the other three presenters who spoke as university instructors on their topics. I believe while my presentation was a personal best, there is still has plenty of room for improvement.
Centennial Hall first opened for classes in 2011 with brightly lit classrooms that easily seat 60 students. I saw a professor holding class in an auditorium about the size of Sherman Hall. A projection screen measuring perhaps 10 by 15 feet provided visual instruction for human kidney anatomy. UW-L students serving as NCUR volunteers, faculty moderators, and presenters appeared to buzz with energy and excitement. While exploring Centennial Hall before my presentation, I saw a sign extending an open invitation to a relaxation room with stress relieving chairs as a quiet escape from coursework rigors. I located the office which reminded me of the small waiting area in a dentist office. The receptionist confirmed I was in the right location but the advertised amenities are supported by student activity fees and reserved for UW-L students. Perhaps a relaxation room could be added to the GSU wish list.
Poster presentations were held in the center of the gymnasium in Mitchell Hall. Around the perimeter and circling the poster displays
were tables of representatives from an estimated 100 universities providing graduate program brochures. As I was sight-seeing, I spoke with an admissions representative from Northern Illinois University and mentioned I am originally from Rockford. I learned through during conversation the admissions rep is related to some of my classmates from elementary through high school.
This reflection of my experience at the NCUR is currently over 500 words, and I could gladly write much more about this experience. My sincere thank you goes to GSU for promoting and supporting creativity in learning.