When I came to Concordia, I thought I had everything figured out. I was convinced that as an independent adult, I already knew what career I wanted and what I wanted out of life. But, as I began to take classes across all disciplines, I started to discover passions for subjects I did not know existed prior to college. I then heard about the Celebration of Student Scholarship, CoSS), which brings together all types of disciplines and students to share their scholarly work. At the end of my freshmen year, I presented at the poster session for the CoSS on my chemistry project where I studied the impact of iron on plant growth and how plants could be used as a method to remove iron from soil. The following year, I presented my research on native prairies in comparison to man-made prairies specifically looking at vegetation levels. This year, I am presenting a history research project where I compare and contrast the Israeli and Palestinian healthcare systems.
The CoSS has functioned as a tool for me to explore my various passions across all disciplines. The day-long event this year will be on Wednesday, April 9 and will allow students to present and perform their work across diverse fields of study. The CoSS promotes the ideals of Concordia College primarily by helping the student body become more thoughtful and informed individuals. For example, students with a major in physics may have little exposure to student research in political science. This event fosters connections between all departments.
I came to Concordia with the certainty that I knew what I wanted in my future, but interdisciplinary events such as the CoSS have forced me to think critically about my values and the direction I want to go in life. I strongly suggest that everyone attend a session on a topic you know little about. Through this event, I hope to learn something new and share my research on a topic I am passionate about. The values of Concordia are intertwined throughout this event and hopefully the day will promote discussion and thought. Show your support for Concordia student researchers by attending the Celebration of Student Scholarship 2014.
Maddie Johnson
