The Geneseo community is busy making preparations for the second annual G.R.E.A.T. Day to be held on Tuesday, April 22.
Geneseo Recognizing Excellence, Achievement and Talent Day is a day-long, college-wide event that will showcase the work of over 700 students and 145 faculty sponsors.
Currently, there are an estimated 150 poster presentations, 178 presentations grouped into concurrent sessions and 31 artwork exhibits planned for the day. Poster presentations will be displayed in Milne Library and in the Union Ballroom. Additionally, a day-long chamber musical festival, not yet listed on the program, will be held at the College Union Grind.
In addition to student presentations, Dr. Steven Squyres, professor of astronomy at Cornell University, will deliver the keynote address in Wadsworth Auditorium at 1:45 p.m. Squyres is a principal investigator on the Mars Exploration Rover Project. His address is entitled "Roving Mars: Spirit, Opportunity and the Exploration of the Red Planet."
G.R.E.A.T. Day originated from smaller presentation sessions held in past years that were produced separately by individual departments. The aim of G.R.E.A.T. Day, as stated on its Web site, is to "foster academic excellence, encourage professional development, and build connections within the community."
G.R.E.A.T. Day coordinator Stephen West emphasizes G.R.E.A.T. Day as a celebration of and for the students.
"Because it's all about you guys, I think people will turn out," he said.
Students involved emphasized the work they have put into their presentations.
"It was a lot of research, but it was worth it," said Emily Wagenhauser, a freshman who will present on "Celebrating Cultural Diversity in Schools Grades One Through Three."
"It's cool because the school I was at before didn't have anything like this," said freshman and former SUNY Binghamton student Mike Barbetta.
A schedule of all of the G.R.E.A.T. Day events, which are open to students and the public, is available at great.geneseo.edu. G.R.E.A.T. Day is funded by the Office of the Provost.