BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – As students begin their presentations at the annual John Wesley Powell Research Conference on April 18, they will be following a 20-year tradition at Illinois Wesleyan University. Throughout the past two decades the conference has evolved – expanding in numbers, encompassing more departments and integrating technology. The event, however, remains an example of one of the hallmarks of the University, a chance to celebrate the work of undergraduate research.
“Four-year, liberal arts institutions have the ability to develop students with research they would not experience until the graduate level at a large university,” said Roger Schnaitter, associate provost for academic planning and standards at Illinois Wesleyan, who coordinated the conference during the 1990s.