UWG News Archive

Get ready for Big Night 2003

March 13, 2003

CARROLLTON, GA - University of West Georgia students desiring an outlet to express their ideas and research are getting ready for Big Night, which is sponsored by the Association for Research and Creative Humanities (ARCH), an interdisciplinary student organization. Big Night began five years ago as a way to celebrate and encourage research across the campus.

Big Night is the opportunity for any student to present a paper or project in the form of a 10-minute oral presentation or performance. Being selected for Big Night is highly competitive. Only one paper or project can be chosen from each of the areas of art, business, education, humanities, social science and science. All other submissions are invited to appear as exhibits following the presentations.

“Big Night is formed in a talent showcase of all walks of life across the UWG campus,” said Dr. Andrew Leavitt, professor of chemistry and Big Night organizer. “It is a informational show that is also entertaining.”

During last year’s Big Night, Brian Bockelman, an advanced academy student at UWG, presented a physic’s presentation called “A Model for the Motion of a Kinetic Mobile.” After participating in Big Night, Bockelman was accepted into a summer research program.

“I believe that my Big Night project was an integral part of being accepted into that program. This upcoming summer, I will be working at the mathematics department for Cornell University,” said Bockelman. “Research opportunities often snowball; the more work you do, the more you are accepted to research.”

Throughout the past four years, Big Night has continually gained widespread support from the University and the community.

“Big Night allows community members the opportunity to see first hand the talented students that attend UWG. Carrollton and Carroll County have always been very supportive of UWG and this is a way to show them how their donations are helping students academically,” said Scott Huffman, associate vice president for development and alumni services.

Big Night is scheduled for Friday, April 4, at 7 p.m. in the Townsend Performing Arts Center followed by the exhibitions and refreshments in the Atrium of the Technology-enhanced Learning Center. The event is free and the public is welcome to attend.

For more information concerning Big Night, contact Leavitt at 770-836-4550 or email at aleavitt@westga.edu.

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