At the Core highlights the value of liberal arts core courses and our high value on mentoring and undergraduate research. They are at the core of the work we do in University College.
At the Core is proudly organized by the Department of General Education with support from University College. We hope you will join us for this year’s conferences!
Carrollton
Wednesday, April 22, 2026 9 AM - 4 PM Campus Center
Newnan
Friday, April 24, 2026 8:30 AM - 3 PM Newnan Campus
At the Core
Call for Submissions
The At the Core Workgroup seeks proposals from University College faculty and staff who wish to sponsor student presentations, panels, projects, and individual essays that showcase excellent student work.
Rather than creating a new assignment, faculty and staff can adapt one of their existing assignments to enable students to present their work.
Participating students will have opportunities to:
The idea of a conference may be unfamiliar, but it’s actually an important part of building knowledge in higher education. In addition to teaching classes, many of your professors are also invested in research. This means that your professors are part of solving the world’s biggest problems, from cancer research, to how our minds work, to how to best help students learn.
Before your professors publish any of their research, they typically share their papers at at least one academic conference beforehand. Why? Because our best writing and thoughts almost never occur in isolation. It takes a community to advance knowledge; the At the Core conference is your opportunity to begin participating in academic communities that shape our world.
“At the Core” is an academic conference for UWG students in their first two years of college. An “academic conference” is a place where scholars come together to share writing and ideas. When you come to college, you become a “scholar!” UWG is happy to welcome all of our students into our academic community, where we come together to consider how to tackle some of the world’s hardest questions and problems. That scholarly work starts now, in your core classes.
What does “CORE” mean?
The CORE classes are designed by the University System of Georgia to help prepare you to become a lifelong learner. This skill, of learning how to learn, to write, to think critically, is applicable for any job in any field. Fewer than 40% of Americans hold a Bachelor’s Degree. In taking the step to go to college—to obtain a four-year degree—you are setting yourself apart in a monetary sense (Median lifetime earnings are $1.2 million higher for bachelor’s degree holders). Additionally, you are preparing yourself to be a “problem solver” for the world’s biggest challenges.
Here’s what the University System of Georgia has to say about the CORE:
"Students have often thought of General Education as a set of 'boxes to check', but Core IMPACTS is not a random collection of courses to 'get out of the way.' Each one provides a key part of your intellectual, academic, personal, and professional growth. Together, Core IMPACTS provides a comprehensive grounding, fostering adaptability and resilience in your academic journey, while shaping you into an engaged and effective citizen and leader.
Every student in the University System of Georgia engages in a General Education curriculum – Core IMPACTS – that provides a solid foundation for life, learning, and careers, and helps you build momentum to fulfill your academic, personal, and professional aspirations. Core IMPACTS introduces the different ways we have of knowing the world and connects you to the big questions that drive your future and provide the essential skills needed to succeed. The IMPACTS Core is structured across seven areas: Institutional Priority; Mathematics and Quantitative Skills; Political Science and U.S. History; Arts, Humanities and Ethics; Communicating in Writing; Technology, Mathematics and Sciences; Social Science."
How does the conference work?
We start out all together in one room for opening remarks, and then break out into sessions in smaller classrooms for “concurrent panels.” A panel meets in a smaller classroom, and is made up of students who are presenting different papers/projects that are connected to a similar topic. The organizers design the panels ahead of time, so all you have to do is show up to your scheduled presentation time! There will be a moderator—someone who will help guide the conversations—in each of the panels.
As an attendee, you can look at the conference schedule and choose which panels are most interesting to you—you make up the “audience” for the presentations. Be prepared to make some hard choices! Panels are concurrent, meaning they overlap, so you will want to choose sessions that you’re interested in.
Who should present at At the Core?
Anyone who is a student in their first or second year at UWG. You do not have to receive an “A” on an assignment to present it.
Day of At the Core
Where do I go? All events start in the Campus Center ballroom, but your presentation will take place in a smaller room.
What time do I get there? You are free to spend all day with us, but you should plan to be in the Campus Center at least 30 minutes before your scheduled presentation time.
How do I know when I am presenting? After your proposal is accepted, the event organizers or your professor will reach out to you
Lunch: We have free lunch for all participants starting at 12. Please let the event organizers know if you have dietary restrictions.
Dress Code: Most academic conferences are business casual. You don't need to dress up or buy a new outfit for this event. Wear what makes you feel comfortable.
AV You can use slides for your talk, and there is projector, but please let your professor know if your presentation uses sound.
Who can come? Anyone can come! You can expect maybe 10-20 people in the audience for your breakout session.
How to Prepare: Before the Conference
Make sure your slides are "readable" with minimal words
Make sure to use a large, legible font
The Writing Center is hosting practice sessions! Contact writing@westga.edu for more information
Poster Presentations: If you are part of a class submitting a poster, your poster will need to be submitted ahead of time so that it can be printed.
Tips for Presenting:
Start your presentation by introducing yourself
Keep up with time limits—the moderator will help with this, but know going in that you need to stay on track
Speak as clearly as you are able.
Expect friendly questions from the audience—no one will try to “test your knowledge.” Instead, folks may be curious to learn more about your topic.
AWARD Ceremony You will need to submit your presentation ahead of the conference to be eligible to win an award. Here are the award categories:
Essays
First Place Essay: The Martha Saunders Award for Excellence in First-Year Writing
Second Place Essay
Third Place Essay
Posters
First Place Poster Presentation
Second Place Poster Presentation
Third Place Poster Presentation
Creative Works
First Place Creative Work
Second Place Creative Work
Third Place Creative Work
Conference Engagement
Random drawing for prizes
More questions? Feel free to reach out to your professor who is sponsoring you for the presentation!
