Fifth Annual Piedmont University Symposium drew 369 student presentations

Ayndi Wimmer, who presented “The 100 Day Cough – Pertussis,” is pictured with Dr. Julia Schmitz, an associate biology professor who oversees Symposium each year at Piedmont University. Contributed Photo

DEMOREST, GA (04/14/2023)– Piedmont University’s annual Symposium was held April 12. Symposium celebrates academic achievement and has become a tradition at Piedmont. Students apply and must be accepted to participate in the event, which is held on both the Demorest and Athens campuses.

Created to encourage deeper learning experiences, the Piedmont Symposium first took place in 2019. That year, students presented 88 research projects. This year, 369 students presented 224 projects.

This year’s daylong event featured topics like “Auditioning in the Digital Age,” “Relationship between Coaching Philosophy and Team Success,” and “The Importance of Medical Interpreters in Hospital Settings.”

• Among the participants was Nathan Boyce of Loganville, GA.
• Among the participants was Dalton Meeler of Monroe, GA.
• Among the participants was Aubrey Garrett of Social Circle, GA.
• Among the participants was William Olson of Monroe, GA.
• Among the participants was Carmen Hickman of Loganville, GA.
• Among the participants was Aiden Fenn of Monroe, GA.
• Among the participants was Bethany Biggs of Social Circle, GA.
• Among the participants was Jazmine Campbell of Loganville, GA.
• Among the participants was Kassondra Gaddy of Monroe, GA.
• Among the participants was Lauren Daria of Monroe, GA.

“It was so great to feel the excitement on campus and to see parents, grandparents, and siblings support their Piedmont students at the event as well as faculty, staff, and students,” said Associate Biology Professor Dr. Julia Schmitz, who oversees the Symposium each year. 

Schmitz said 133 faculty, staff, and students volunteered as judges, room assistants, and emcees. There were 98 oral presentations and 68 posters in Demorest, each with five to six volunteers on hand. The same was true in Athens, where students presented 45 oral sessions and 13 posters.

The sixth Piedmont Symposium will be held on Thursday, April 11, 2024. 

For more information, visit piedmont.edu/symposium.

About Piedmont University

Piedmont University is one of the most dynamic small universities in the Southeast. Its 300-acre residential campus is nestled in the foothills of the North Georgia mountains. Founded in 1897, Piedmont is a comprehensive liberal arts institution offering a variety of career-oriented majors in the arts and sciences, business, education, and nursing.