Students and faculty gathered at Texas Wesleyan University for University College Day (UCD) to showcase student research and collaborative works on April 15. 

UCD featured 100 plus student presentations, empowering participants to share their work in a supportive academic setting while encouraging peers to attend and engage. The event also featured keynote speaker Joe Pisenti, a youtuber with almost eight million subscribers, and “Ram Jam”, which offered games, food and entertainment for students. 

“Students were at the center of this event,” said Chitra Chandrasekaran, associate professor of biology and co-chair of the UCD committee. “We wanted to make sure there was a path for students working with faculty to present, and that’s exactly what we saw.” 

This year’s theme, “Rams Inspire”, reflected the range of topics and disciplines represented. Chandrasekaran said participation increased significantly, with about 120 student presentations—an estimated 20% spike from the previous year. 

For many students, UCD provided the platform to step outside of their comfort zones. Despite initial unfamiliarity with her topic, junior political science major and religion minor Henyi Coreas presented on the Eucharist in Christianity.  

“I’m not really good at talking to people, so this was a leap of faith for me,” said Coreas. “I’m very happy that I got to present about a topic that really interested me. I almost said no, but I’m very happy that I tried and that it went really well.” 

Other students saw the event as insightful preparation for their upcoming careers. 

“The panel was really enlightening for me,” said Kayla Wildy, a junior mass communication major. “I’m about to be a senior, so hearing from local journalists—especially about AI—was really interesting.” 

Faculty emphasized that UCD is designed to build practical skills in students beyond the classroom. Cary Adkinson, associate professor of criminal justice, sponsored multiple students and offered extra credit to encourage participation and leadership development. 

“We want them to develop communication skills, organizational skills and presentation skills in a supportive environment,” Adkinson said. “Being able to get up in front of people and lead them—that’s an absolutely essential skill that we want our students to develop.” 

Organizers said the energy and engagement across campus signaled the event’s success. 

“There was standing room only in some sessions,” Chandrasekaran said. “That’s exactly the kind of problem we want to have.” 

Chandrasekaran, alongside co-chair Denise De La Rosa, began coordinating with faculty months in advance to bring UCD to life. From computer science and marketing to student government and university administration, she said everybody helped make the event possible. 

As the event continues to grow, faculty hope to expand participation while maintaining focus on student achievement. 

“It’s one of the coolest things about being at Texas Wesleyan,” Adkinson said. “If you’re not making learning fun, then you’re probably doing something wrong.”