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Scholars Week, an annual celebration showcasing the best of Western Washington University students’ research and creative works, will be held May 12 – 16.

The Scholars Week Planning Committee invites students to register April 21 – 25, prepare presentation materials, and present as part of Scholars Showcase events open to the campus and the public, highlighting student achievement and the significance of faculty and staff mentorship on student scholarship. This year marks the 25th anniversary of Scholars Week, a series of events held across campus that contribute to Western’s success as a leader in preparing students for future academic and career pursuits.

This year’s Scholars Showcase features the annual Poster Session — the centerpiece event held in Carver Gym on Wednesday, May 14 — highlighting outstanding scholarly research and creative works by graduate and undergraduate students across a wide range of disciplines, programs and departments. Three-Minute Thesis Talks, featuring graduate student presentations, will be held Thursday, May 15 in the Solarium, 590 Old Main. These talks are designed to explain discipline-specific research to an unfamiliar audience. The MFA/MA Creative Writing Presentations, also held in the Solarium on Thursday, May 15, feature graduate readings of original work. Faculty/Student Group Collaborations, featuring collaborations involving research, creative work or other academic projects stemming from work in the field, lab, studio or some other collaborative setting or arrangement, will be held in the Carver Hall of Fame Room Tuesday, May 13.

Associate Professor of Journalism Maria McLeod, Scholars Week Planning Committee chair, said the committee expects a robust response to their year’s events due, in part, to the recognition of Scholars Week has played over the past 25 years in shaping Western’s role as a national leader in the number of students who go on to earn graduate degrees.

“Scholars Week has served as a springboard to success for many students over the past 25 years, both in inspiring them to do work they’re particularly proud of, deepening understanding and discovery, as well as prompting them to create a product — such as an academic poster — they can use when applying to graduate school or when seeking employment in their respective field,” McLeod said.

“We’re anticipating a great turnout to support Western scholars engaged in an impressive array of research and creative projects that may very well lead to big things.”

Scholars Week events will be held in person May 12 through May 16, including activities and events hosted by colleges, departments and programs throughout the university, many of which are listed on the Scholars Week website. To register to participate, go to wwu.edu/scholars. For more information about Scholars Week, contact scholars.week@wwu.edu.

Scholars Week, an annual celebration of student research and creative activities at Western, was created by a unanimous resolution of the Faculty Senate in November 1999 as “Scholars Day.”

The event soon transformed into “Scholars Week” to accommodate a diverse series of events highlighting the scholarship and creativity of Western students across a variety of disciplines. The Scholars Week Planning Committee works in coordination with the Office of the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs to hold Scholars Showcase events and the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. Financial support for Scholars Week is provided by the �������� President, Office of the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs, Offices of Research and Sponsored Programs and the Graduate School, the Foundation, and academic colleges.