Welcome Message

Dear Participant,     

Welcome to the 2025 Research and Scholarship Conference, which brings together the 27th Undergraduate Exposition, the 33rd Graduate Research Symposium, the 20th Faculty Scholarship Celebration, and the fourth Faculty Three-Minute Research Competition. This is the tenth year of collaboration with the Office of the Provost, the Hunter Library, and the Brinson Honors College to present this unifying event showcasing research, scholarship, and creative activities from undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff.  

I express my sincere gratitude to all who are sharing your excellent work with the WCU community in this venue. I also offer a heartfelt thank you to your faculty and staff mentors who have provided guidance, support, and encouragement. Their commitment to student engagement is a hallmark of WCU’s educational experience.     

We host the 2025 RASC as a hybrid event. Digital content from registrant’s posters, exhibits, and academic papers will open to the campus and community the week of March 17. On March 19, the conference will host oral presentations of research from various subjects, a Keynote Address by WCU alumnus and twelfth-generation North-Carolinian David Joy, an in-person poster celebration, and an award ceremony for undergraduate and graduate presentations. 

This may be your first opportunity to share your findings, results, or creative work with the academic community. Today, you take a step toward being recognized as a scholar in your chosen discipline. The skills you learn to conduct and disseminate research will enable you to share your intellectual passion and curiosity with your profession. Congratulations on this significant milestone as a scholar!   

I encourage you to visit the 2025 RASC website to learn about the wide variety of research topics that are being explored by undergraduate and graduate students at Western Carolina University.  In addition, we will make available a recording of the Keynote Address, the RASC digital content, and a full 2025 RASC schedule at GO.WCU.EDU/RASC.  

I hope that this experience inspires you to continue to contribute to our understanding and appreciation of = the arts, humanities, education, health, social sciences, business, and the sciences, and to create solutions to important issues facing our region, state, and world. What you do today as a student is just the beginning of all you can do to make a difference. Thank you and congratulations!   

Jeffrey K. Lawson, Ph.D.     

Dean, Graduate School and Research