WHEELING, WV, April 5, 2010 — The annual Wheeling Jesuit University Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Symposium takes place Tuesday, April 13 and provides undergraduate students the chance to present their research and scholarly activities in public.

The student presentations take place right after the opening ceremonies in Hawk Auditorium, located on the ground level of the Acker Science Center.

Symposium chairman and psychology professor Dr. Bryan Raudenbush will welcome guests and introduce Interim President Sister Francis Marie Thrailkill, OSU who will then share a few words of inspiration with the students and guests.

Keynote speaker Hal Gorby (shown at right)) will then take the podium and offer his own story of research and wisdom. Gorby is a 2007 graduate of Wheeling Jesuit.

After graduating from Wheeling Jesuit with a degree in history and minors in both political science and philosophy, Gorby went on to earn a masters degree in American History at West Virginia University in 2009. Since then, he has been studying the relationship between ethnicity, the working class and religion during the 20th century. Gorby remains particularly interested in South Wheeling’s history in regards to these factors. He believes that a greater understanding of urban development in the area can be grasped through studying the history of class politics.

Besides studying history, Gorby gives presentations to local community groups and is also assisting with research for a book about West Virginia mine wars. Gorby’s other hobby is photographing historic areas.

“I am very pleased to return to Wheeling Jesuit and share research tips and talk with the many undergraduates who are working so hard,” said Gorby, who is currently a student graduate teaching assistant in the department of history at the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, WVU.

After listening to Gorby’s presentation, students will present their research in various classrooms in the Acker Science Center and participate in a 1 – 2:30 p.m. poster session held in Troy Theater. Later that evening, there is a final evening scholarly competition for the Haig Award, given annually to a senior in one of the science majors who completes the best independent research project.

The Haig competition takes place at 6:30 p.m., and is moderated by Wheeling Jesuit's Associate Academic Dean Dr. Helen Faso. During this headline competition, select seniors compete for the Haig Award and for 2010 the Haig competitors are: Wilhelm Castellon, biology and chemistry; Ali Hajiran, biology; and Samantha Yakey, chemistry. (Yakey, Hajiran and Wilhelm are shown at right.)

The winner of the Haig Award will not be revealed until May 15 Commencement ceremonies. Haig recipients receive a medal along with $2,500 in prize money.

For more information about the symposium, contact Raudenbush at raudenbc@wju.edu or visit the symposium Web page online.