This academic year, Hillsdale College is hosting its first Undergraduate Research Conference in the Visual Arts.

Organized by Assistant Professor of Art Christina Chakalova, the conference will be open to all students, regardless of major, from colleges across the country. Students can participate by joining the conference committee or entering a paper or presentation, with the top research project earning a monetary prize. 

Those who wish to write a paper must produce an approximately 250-word abstract on a theme within the field of visual art.

Students interested in joining the conference committee are expected to choose a theme, respond to the committee’s application, and invite a keynote speaker involved in the arts to campus. 

“Students can be on the lookout for our ‘call for papers,’ which we hope to circulate by the end of this month or in early October at the latest,” Chakalova said. “If students desire to be on the committee, there is still a chance, and they should email me as soon as possible.” 

Committee members will read abstracts submitted between September and January, vote for the best research project, and attend the art conference in March.  They will meet twice each semester to finalize details for the conference and choose the winning research project.

Chakalova said the program gives students experience in organizational skills in addition to delving into an area of artistic research that piques their interest. 

“The goal is to allow students to get involved in an enriching academic experience over which they have almost full control,” Chakalova said. “I will guide and mentor them, but this is really for the students to organize and plan.” 

Junior Kara Miller, who will be submitting a paper, said the conference is unique because students can select from a broad array of themes ranging from art history to creative uses of art mediums.

“I’m looking forward to the creative liberty that will provide, and I hope to do research on a piece that I haven’t studied closely before,” Miller said.

Senior Anna Julia Bassols said that the competition will help Hillsdale students connect with peers from other academic institutions.

“Those connections are valuable, especially for students considering graduate school or careers in art history,” Bassols said.