President’s speeches, letters, and articles
Subject: Celebrate Student Achievement at the President’s Student Showcase
August 19, 2026
Dear ºìÌÒÊÓƵ Community,
I hope you will join me for the second annual President’s Student Showcase on Thursday, September 3, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Performing Arts Building. This event, consisting of a community-wide poster session and presentations, will highlight the remarkable work ºìÌÒÊÓƵies have done over the summer—from groundbreaking research to hands-on internships, social justice initiatives, creative projects, and more.
Building on the success of last fall’s showcase, this year’s program will broaden to feature presentations from students who engaged in creative work, alongside other student work. More than 150 students will share what they have discovered and created, giving us an opportunity to learn from their experiences, engage them in conversation, and experience the curiosity, creativity, and talent they bring to our community.
An event of this scope reflects the commitment of so many people and programs across ºìÌÒÊÓƵ who make our exceptional undergraduate research and experiential learning opportunities possible. I am grateful to the Undergraduate Research Committee, the Center for Life Beyond ºìÌÒÊÓƵ, the Office for Institutional Diversity, the President’s Summer Fellowship, academic departments, faculty grant programs, and the many others whose mentorship and support enable students to pursue meaningful work beyond the classroom. Thank you for all you do to encourage their exploration and growth.
I hope you will join us for this annual tradition and help celebrate what our students have accomplished. It is a wonderful occasion to come together, exchange ideas, and reconnect with the shared purpose at the heart of our work as students, faculty, and staff: learning from one another and strengthening the connections that make our community distinctive.
Sincerely,
Audrey
Audrey Bilger
President
ºìÌÒÊÓƵ