Undergraduate Research at the Capitol–Pennsylvania

BEAVER FALLS, PA (03/21/2013)(readMedia)-- Geneva College junior information writing major Joel Shannon, from Elizabethtown, Pa., achieved the honor of representing the Geneva at the 11th Undergraduate Research at the Capitol–Pennsylvania (URC–PA) poster conference in Harrisburg, Pa., on March 19, 2013.

The URC-PA conference is an educational event where students from Pennsylvania's colleges and universities showcase their research talents to the Commonwealth's key decision-makers. Participants spend a day in the East Wing Rotunda of the Pennsylvania Capitol Building sharing ideas with other students and speaking to state legislators on these important topics.

While there, Shannon presented "Re-Imagining Student Publications: Integrating Media," which describes his work in planning and creating the GenevaVoice website. Geneva Professor of Political Science Dr. Tom Copeland advised Shannon throughout his work, which was completed as a project for the Academic Partners Program. Shannon is editor of the weekly student newspaper The Geneva Cabinet and a photography intern for the college.

Discussing his project, Shannon proposed that "the uniquely centralized nature of the university allows student publications to adjust more quickly and more appropriately" to the opportunities presented through digital publishing. "By thinking of a student publications website as a unified place for all student-created content-rather than simply a digital clearing house for the newspaper's print content-student publications can better prepare students for the realities of working in a digital-first world."

"I also learned a lot about project management as I re-wrote job descriptions and worked with others to create content for the new website," he added.

During the event, Nobel Prize Laureate and an Evan Pugh Professor of Geosciences at Pennsylvania State University Dr. Richard Alley addressed the participants. He spoke to them about the importance of student research for the well being of future generations.

At the conclusion of the conference, URC–PA participants were recognized as a group by legislators during the Senate Session.

Geneva College invites students to accept the challenge of an academically excellent, Christ-centered education. Offering nearly 40 undergraduate majors, an Adult Degree Completion Program with fully online and campus-based options, and seven graduate degrees, Geneva has programs that place students at the forefront of higher learning. Adhering to the inerrancy of Scripture, the liberal arts core curriculum fosters a breadth of knowledge through the study of humanities, social and natural sciences, and experiential learning.