Capstone Festival 2008: Call for Nominations

Nomination Period: February 1 – March 14, 2008

Mary Baldwin College faculty members are invited to nominate students who have recently completed, or are well on their way to completing, excellent senior projects for participation in the third annual Capstone Festival. Students may be nominated for their senior projects, honors projects, or special sponsored projects (such as Russell or VFIC Summer Science Award projects). All disciplines are encouraged to nominate at least one student. There is no limit on nominations. Students should understand that it is a great honor to be nominated for and to participate in the Capstone Festival: this is an achievement that they may cite on their résumés as a superior accomplishment.

PURPOSE OF THE FESTIVAL
The Capstone Festival is the premier showcase for student academic work at MBC. It provides participants the opportunity to share the results of their efforts with faculty, students, alumnae and alumni, board members, and members of the local community. This year’s Festival will be held Thursday, May 8, 2008, beginning in the early afternoon and concluding with a Celebration in the early evening, when nominees and participants will be honored and special awards made.

NOMINATION GUIDELINES
Subject matter varies, but excellent Capstone projects and presenters share certain characteristics. Highly successful projects include an analytical component, in a form appropriate to the discipline, rather than being wholly descriptive. Materials are carefully prepared and proofread. Participants are able to discuss implications and significance with non-experts. For performances, visual displays, and other creative work, participants are articulate interpreters of their work as well as accomplished artists.

Students in all of Mary Baldwin College’s undergraduate programs who have completed a senior or special project since May 2007 are eligible for nomination. Students may be nominated for more than one project. Students do not need to be present on the day of the Festival to be nominated, but they must be present on the day of the Festival in order to compete for awards.

NOMINATION CATEGORIES

Paper presentations
Multimedia-supported presentations
Poster presentations
Visual and audio-visual creation presentations
Readings and performances

Participants are limited to 10 to 20 minutes for their presentations, depending on the nomination category, including time given to questions and answers. See category guidelines at http://www.mbc.edu/research/CapstoneFestival.asp for more information.

NOMINATION PROCEDURES
Faculty Responsibilities

Assess student’s project in light of the nomination guidelines.
Complete the faculty section of the nomination form (available at http://www.mbc.edu/research/CapstoneFestival.asp or on the Administrative Forms and Documents page) by Friday, March 14, 2008. If you have trouble locating or completing the form, please contact Terri Walker, x7030 (twalker@mbc.edu).
Provide guidance on adapting material for a diverse audience and review nominee’s presentation materials prior to the date of the Festival. Faculty advisors are urged to assist their nominees to reach the highest presentation standards.

Nominee Responsibilities

Review FAQs for Capstone Festival Nominees (available at http://www.mbc.edu/research/CapstoneFestival.asp).
Complete the student section of the nomination form and return it to Terri Walker (twalker@mbc.edu) by Thursday, March 27. If you have trouble locating the form or have questions about how to complete it, please contact Lydia Petersson, x7235 (lpeterss@mbc.edu).
Review and follow guidelines for your nomination category, attend training sessions as appropriate, and complete materials in time to allow advisor’s review.