The National Communication Association’s honor society Lambda Pi Eta will be sponsoring the Flat-Water States Undergraduate Communication Research Conference on Saturday, March 26.  

The conference theme is “Focus on the Future: New Beginnings, Strong Foundations.” Students from WSC and Nebraska Wesleyan University have submitted research projects that will be reviewed. Students will receive feedback from professors and other students when they present.  

This event provides students a chance to interact with leading communication scholars and receive feedback from professionals. Allyn Lueders, an associate professor of communication arts, said it’s important for students to participate in events like this because they give them a valuable professional experience.  

“You get practice explaining what you’ve been working on in a way others can understand, which is what they want to hear about in a job interview,” Lueders said. “Also, knowing that you engage in these activities can be essential to an employer.” 

Breakfast will be held at 8:30 a.m. in Gardner Hall Auditorium before WSC alum Erin Slattery delivers the keynote address at 9 a.m. Presentations and student panels follow the keynote address at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Speakers will discuss several types of communication, ethics, criticism, and theatre arts. 

A faculty panel at 2:30 p.m. will include Lueders presenting Stigma Management Online, Liz Viall presenting Pacemaker Award-winning College Newspapers and Sean Ahern presenting Revitalization Radio: KWSC-FM Updates and Upgrades.   

WSC students presenting research projects at the conference include: Audrey Worthing of Ogallala, Jessie Brandl of Stanton, Clare Hornung of Raymond, Allie Jaixen of Platte Center, Lesley Luna-Duran, of Neligh, Geo Ascencio of South Sioux City, Mark Albers of Waukee, Iowa, Whitney Winter of Sutton, Agnes Kurtzhals of Coleridge, Aubreanna Miller of Milford, Jackson Kelley of Lincoln and Jaci Torres of Wayne.