Message from the WCU Graduate School
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April 2018
Twenty Sixth Annual Graduate Research Symposium
Graduate students converged on the Ramsey Center and University Center March 21-22, 2018 to showcase their research efforts at the Twenty-Sixth Annual Graduate Research Symposium, part of WCU’s campus-wide Research and Scholarship Celebration (RASC). Graduate students presented their research in a variety of formats, including research posters, oral presentations and academic papers.
The event, sponsored by the Graduate School, the Office of the Provost and the Graduate Student Association, highlights the outstanding quality and variety of graduate-level research at Western Carolina University. The Symposium also provides graduate students with the opportunity to practice their communication skills to constituents both inside and outside their disciplines.
Dr. David Shapiro presented an inspiring message during the keynote address titled, “Professional Development – A Process in Progress.”
The event closed at the Blue Ridge Conference Center with a Reception and Awards Ceremony. Acting Provost, Dr. Carol Burton provided words of praise and encouragement to the student researchers and their faculty sponsors.
The Twenty-Seventh Annual Graduate Research Symposium is scheduled for April 3-4, 2019.
Support graduate students and their research efforts by donating to the Graduate School and Research
In 2016-17, WCU awarded
484 Masters' degrees,
7 post-Masters' certificates, and 44 Doctoral degrees.
Dr. Shapiro Delivers Keynote Address
Dr. David Shapiro has spent his 34 year career as a faculty member in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Western Carolina University where he has taught, mentored, and conducted research with undergraduate and graduate students. Dr. Shapiro, a speech-language pathologist and WCU’s Robert Lee Madison Distinguished Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders, gave the keynote address on professional development at the 2018 Graduate Research Symposium. Among his advice to graduate students, Dr. Shapiro offered these nuggets of wisdom:
- Know what you profess and live a life that reflects your values
- Do something that matters and do it well
- Don’t be afraid of rejection
And, perhaps, most importantly,
- Find someone to love.
Ending his keynote address, Dr. Shapiro inspired graduate students by saying “Can you imagine how exciting your career is going to be? The world needs you.”
WCU's online Master of Project Management Program recently received a No. 4 national ranking from the Master's Programs Guide. The two-year MPM program is designed for project management professionals with a minimum of two years of work experience.
Research Spotlight - Mary Jessamine Michaels
While researching for the U.S. Army crime lab during the summer before beginning her Master’s work, graduate student MJ Michaels discovered a need for newer body fluid identification methods in criminal cases. “Current methods of body fluid ID aren’t able to confirm the presence of many forensically relevant body fluids, which is a real problem in crime labs,” she says. “Identification of body fluids in criminal cases can be really important to understanding the nature of the crime in question.” MJ found herself drawn to researching alternative methods of identification. She continued her research in Western’s biology department, focusing on the MinION sequencer, an instrument that will sequence DNA or RNA, allowing researchers to identify source body fluids.
In November 2017, MJ presented her research in the Graduate School’s annual 3MT (Three-Minute Thesis) competition, a three-minute presentation during which graduate students showcase their projects and research using only one slide. MJ says her 3MT experience forced her to step back and look at why her research is important rather than focusing on the results of her project. She placed second in the competition, winning a $250 scholarship. In February 2018, she represented WCU at the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools (CSGS). “At CSGS, I had some preliminary results to share, which definitely changed the experience,” she says. “When I presented at WCU’s competition, I had no idea whether or not it would even be usable.” MJ says her ultimate goal is to become a DNA analyst and that she hopes she can continue her work on better methods of processing evidence in her future research.
A graduate degree improves a person's skills set, knowledge base, marketability, and earning potential. Over a lifetime (40 working years), a Master's degree holder typically earns $400,000 more than a Bachelor's degree holder, according to a 2011 Census report.
Graduate Students Compete in Three Minute Thesis
Created at the University of Queensland (Australia), 3MT® provides graduate students the opportunity to develop their professional presentation and research communication skills. The objective of the event is to distill projects into an engaging three-minute presentation designed for a general (non-specialist) audience using just one slide.
Sixteen WCU graduate students, from a variety of disciplines, competed for scholarship awards in November 2017. Acting Chancellor, Dr. Alison Morrison-Shetlar attended the event and announced the winners.
