Choose Your Own Adventure!
During SPARK, you will have the chance to see student work from all across campus! Earn up to 10 WELL Core credits throughout the day! Additionally, attend one of each type of presentation (Scholarship, Performance, Art, Research, and Knowledge) and earn your SPARK Badge! We encourage you to attend presentations from areas of campus you would not normally visit to support your fellow students.
The general schedule for SPARK 2026 is:
- 8:30-9:30 Session 1
- 9:45-10:45 Session 2 & Poster/Gallery Session 1 & IMBW
- 11:00-12:00 Session 3
- 12:00-1:30 Free lunch on the South Lawn while supplies last
- Provided by the Belmont Formation Collaborative
- 1:30-2:30 Keynote
- 2:45-3:45 Session 4 & Poster/Gallery Session 2
- 4:00-5:00 Session 5
Download a Tentative SPARK Schedule
Tentative SPARK Sessions
| Faculty Contact(s) | College | Session Title | Location |
| Caleb Walder | O'More College of Architecture & Design | Fifth-Year Architecture Design Exhibition | Architecture Annex |
| Cara Dees | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Poetry & Fiction Reading: A Reading by the Students of "Introduction to Creative Writing" | Ayers 1034 |
| Jenny Crowell Thompson | College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences | Mapping Change: Student Policy Work from the TN Legislature | Ayers 1037 |
| Peter Kuryla | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | New Approaches to the Past | Ayers 1044 |
| Adam Cartisano | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Mathematics and Computing: Senior Capstone Projects | Ayers 2080 |
| Darcie Finch | College of Education | The Power of the Cycle: Data, Feedback, and Growth in Action | Ayers 2090 |
| Timothy Schoenfeld | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Psychology Session: Personality and Social Psychology | Ayers 2091 |
| Nathan Griffith | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Political Science Senior Theses | Ayers 2092 |
| Amanda Nelms | College of Education | From Insight to Impact: Using Data to Strengthen Multilingual Learning | Ayers 2095 |
| Emily Moses | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Advanced Chemistry and Physics Senior Research & Pharmaceutical Student Scholarship | Ayers 2096 |
| Timothy Schoenfeld | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Psychology Session: Personality and Social Psychology | Ayers 2139 |
| Timothy Schoenfeld | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Neuroscience and Psychology Independent Studies | Ayers 2140 |
| Michael Oliver | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Psychology Session: Sensation & Perception | Ayers 2142 |
| Dustin Rumbaugh | Jack C. Massey College of Business | Business & Econometric Forecasting | Ayers 2144 |
| Carmen Foster | College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences | Be the CHANGE: Policy in Action | Ayers 2149 |
| Jeffrey Overby | Jack C. Massey College of Business | Honors Project Research and Execution: Designing for Human Flourishing: From Walkable Cities to Healthy Screens and Confident Kids Through Food and Play | Ayers 2150 |
| Natalia Pelaz | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Resistance in Rhythm: Bad Bunny's Superbowl Show party | Ayers 4094 C/D |
| Andi Florian | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Toxicology Murder Mysteries | Ayers 4098 |
| Carolyn Totaro | College of Music & Performing Arts | Introduction to Music Research | Hitch 130 |
| Nathan Chapman | O'More College of Architecture & Design | Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe- Exercises in Draping | Hitch Lawn |
| Thomas Sturgill | Watkins College of Art | Fine Art Senior Thesis Presentations | LCVA 120 |
| Faculty Contact(s) | College | Session Title | Location |
| Caleb Walder | O'More College of Architecture & Design | Fifth-Year Architecture Design Exhibition | Architecture Annex |
| Cara Dees | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Poetry Reading: The Craft of Poetry Class (3420.02) Shares Their Work | Ayers 1034 |
| Jenny Crowell Thompson | College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences | Mapping Change: Student Policy Work from the TN Legislature | Ayers 1037 |
| Tiffinie Zellars | Gordon E. Inman College of Nursing | My Fullest Name Collage-A Visual Expression of My Cultural Identity | Ayers 1044 |
| Nicole Richard Williams & Jamie Adam | College of Music & Performing Arts | The Science and SOUL of Care | Ayers 1045 |
| Will Best | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Special Topics and Independent Research in Mathematics and Computing | Ayers 2080 |
| Darcie Finch | College of Education | The Power of the Cycle: Data, Feedback, and Growth in Action | Ayers 2090 |
| Timothy Schoenfeld | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Neuroscience and Psychology Independent Studies | Ayers 2091 |
| Nathan Griffith | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Political Science Senior Theses | Ayers 2092 |
| Emily Moses | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Advanced Chemistry and Physics Senior Research & Pharmaceutical Student Scholarship | Ayers 2096 |
| Timothy Schoenfeld | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Psychology Session: Personality and Social Psychology | Ayers 2139 |
| Michael Oliver | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Psychology Session: Sensation & Perception | Ayers 2142 |
| James Al-Shamma | College of Music & Performing Arts | Theatre and Performance, Then and Now I | Ayers 2149 |
| Mitch McCoy | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Pleasures of Life in Other Languages | Ayers 3058 |
| Kate Holland | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Echoes of Antiquity: Poetry Recitation | Ayers 4110 |
| Sandy Stevens | College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences | Occupational Therapy Research | Beaman/Maddox Grand Atrium |
| Sue Iliff | College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences | Exploring the Social Experiences of Autistic Students in Post Secondary Education | Beaman/Maddox Grand Atrium |
| Darlene Panvini | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Undergraduate Research in BIO/BMB/ENV | Beaman/Maddox Grand Atrium |
| Christina Davis | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Data Science Final Projects | Beaman/Maddox Grand Atrium |
| Esteban Parra Rodriguez | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Videogame Demo Showcase | Beaman/Maddox Grand Atrium |
| Timothy Schoenfeld | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Research in Psychological Science and Neuroscience - Poster Presentations | Beaman/Maddox Grand Atrium |
| Timothy Schoenfeld | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Psychology and Neuroscience Poster Session | Beaman/Maddox Grand Atrium |
| Priscilla Gitimu | O'More College of Architecture & Design | Style Extravagance | Beaman/Maddox Grand Atrium |
| Priscilla Gitimu | O'More College of Architecture & Design | Textiles Unraveled | Beaman/Maddox Grand Atrium |
| Clare Eng | College of Music & Performing Arts | The Modernized, Agonized, and Not-Quite-Canonized: A Sound Gallery of Music Theory Projects | Harton Hall |
| Carolyn Totaro | College of Music & Performing Arts | Introduction to Music Research | Hitch 130 |
| Jenny Kemala | O'More College of Architecture & Design | From Flat to Form - Dart Manipulation in Clothing Design | Hitch 204 |
| Kathy Worthington | O'More College of Architecture & Design | Innovations in Materials for Designers & Architects | Hitch 303 |
| Nathan Chapman | O'More College of Architecture & Design | Designing Heritage Using Digital Fashion Tools | Hitch 404 & 406 |
| Carolyn Spellings & Amanda Nelms | Global Honors Program | Community-Engaged Learning: Students as Change Agents | JCMC 308 |
| Ann Coble | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | First Year Seminar Sisson Award papers | JCMC 311 |
| Kacie Hittel & Valorie Quarles | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Text to Screen: Adapting Stories to Visual Narratives | JCMC 312 |
| David Harkins & Dale Addy | Jack C. Massey College of Business | Studying Homelessness Globally: What Comparison Reveals and Obscures & A Human-Centered Approach to A Very Wicked Problem | JCMC 404 |
| Hilary Taft & Mona Ivey-Soto | College of Education, Belmont Innovation Labs | How to Live a Generous Life - Lessons Learned from a Year-old Experiment in Generous Giving | JCMC 408 |
| Lauren Lowen | Watkins College of Art | Art for Products! The World of Surface Design and Art Licensing. | LCVA 120 |
| Emmanuel Saka | Watkins College of Art | Design Senior Presentation | LCVA 207 A & C |
| Debbie Belue | College of Music & Performing Arts | Dance Compositions on Stage | Troutt Theater |
| Katie Mitchell | Watkins College of Art | Fine Art Thesis Exhibition | Gallery 121 & LCVA Lobby |
| Faculty Contact(s) | College | Session Title | Location |
| Caleb Walder | O'More College of Architecture & Design | Fifth-Year Architecture Design Exhibition | Architecture Annex |
| Cara Dees | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Poetry Reading: The Craft of Poetry Class (3420.01) Shares Their Work | Ayers 1034 |
| Susan Finch | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Belmont Literary Journal Launch Event | Ayers 1037 |
| Mary Cunningham | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Ancient Philosophy | Ayers 1044 |
| Christie Kleinmann | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Applied Research in Public Relations | Ayers 1045 |
| Adam Cartisano | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Topology Showcase | Ayers 2080 |
| Darcie Finch | College of Education | Stories That Spark: Rose Park Students & Belmont Present Edgehill’s Best | Ayers 2090 |
| Timothy Schoenfeld | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Neuroscience and Psychology Independent Studies | Ayers 2091 |
| Nathan Griffith | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Political Science Senior Theses | Ayers 2092 |
| Amanda Nelms | College of Education | Transforming Education with AI | Ayers 2095 |
| Gwen Niekamp | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | It's All in My Head, but I Want (Creative) Nonfiction: A Reading | Ayers 2096 |
| Amber Turner | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Personality Psychology | Ayers 2139 |
| Amy Schmisseur | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | The Hidden Work of Emotion | Ayers 2140 |
| Michelle Shaw | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | More than Just a Vibe: Student research on the messages that shape everyday life | Ayers 2141 |
| Michael Oliver | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Psychology Session: Sensation & Perception | Ayers 2142 |
| Anna Grace Usery | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Strategic Voices: Veteran Mental Health and Political Communication Design | Ayers 2143 |
| Dustin Rumbaugh | Jack C. Massey College of Business | Business & Econometric Forecasting | Ayers 2144 |
| James Al-Shamma | College of Music & Performing Arts | Theatre and Performance, Then and Now II | Ayers 2149 |
| Darlene Panvini | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Discoveries in Biology | Ayers 3058 |
| Travis Brandon | College of Law | New Developments in Law and Legal Studies | Ayers 4098 |
| Kate Holland | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Echoes of Antiquity | Ayers 4110 |
| Thor Wasbotten | Jack C. Massey College of Business | Ethics in Action | Ayers 4111 |
| Mark Whatley | College of Music & Performing Arts | Center Stage: Belmont's Classical Vocal Performance Showcase | Harton Hall |
| Carolyn Totaro | College of Music & Performing Arts | Introduction to Music Research | Hitch 130 |
| Nia Allen | O'More College of Architecture & Design | Culture, Identity and Fashion | Hitch 207 |
| Kathy Worthington | O'More College of Architecture & Design | Innovations in Materials for Designers & Architects | Hitch 303 |
| Wesley Bulla | Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business | MSAE Auditory Perception & Hearing Science Session 1 | JCMC 308 |
| David Harkins | Jack C. Massey College of Business | Exploring Polarized Topics | JCMC 404 |
| Nathan Adam & Amy Smith | Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business | From Vision to Impact: Bridging Aspiration and Excellence in Entertainment | JCMC 408 |
| Francesca Muccini & Amanda Salmon | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Cultural Mythmaking: From National Identity to Pop Phenomena | JCMC 411 |
| Armon Means | Watkins College of Art | Photography Thesis Presentations | LCVA 120 |
| Traci Ledford | College of Music & Performing Arts | Shakespeare in Found Spaces: The Bard at Belmont | Outdoor (Troutt Blackbox rain backup) |
Details coming soon
Details coming soon
| Faculty Contact(s) | College | Session Title | Location |
| Caleb Walder | O'More College of Architecture & Design | Fifth-Year Architecture Design Exhibition | Architecture Annex |
| Darlene Panvini | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Cities as Shared Ecosystems | Ayers 1034 |
| Bonnie Riechert | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Serving Community Organizations: Public Relations Campaigns | Ayers 1037 |
| Beth Ritter-Conn | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Ammas, Abbas, and Art: Theological Reflections on Divine Nurture | Ayers 1044 |
| Ryan Fox | College of Education | Perspectives on Gifted Education | Ayers 2080 |
| Nathan Griffith | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Political Science Senior Theses | Ayers 2092 |
| Amanda Nelms | College of Education | Building Bridges: Connecting Students with Community Nonprofits to Support Local Youth | Ayers 2095 |
| Ronnie Littlejohn | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Asian Studies | Ayers 2096 |
| James Al-Shamma | College of Music & Performing Arts | Theatre and Performance, Then and Now III | Ayers 2149 |
| Erin Shankel | Gordon E. Inman College of Nursing | DNP Voices: Leading Change Through Practice | Ayers 4094 C/D |
| Andy Miller | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Game Theory | Ayers 4098 |
| Colin Cannonier | Jack C. Massey College of Business | Applied Economics at Belmont: Research Talks & Poster Presentations | Beaman/Maddox Grand Atrium |
| Julie Heath-Reynolds | College of Music & Performing Arts | Music Education Student Teaching Portfolio Projects | Beaman/Maddox Grand Atrium |
| Christian Williams | College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences | Public Health Research Posters | Beaman/Maddox Grand Atrium |
| Will Best | College of Sciences & Mathematics | Sports Analytics: Data-Driven Insights in Athletic Performance and Strategy | Beaman/Maddox Grand Atrium |
| Katie Lee | Gordon E. Inman College of Nursing | Tools That Help: Student Posters on Education, Navigation, and Volunteer Support | Beaman/Maddox Grand Atrium |
| Wesley Bulla | Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business | MSAE Auditory Perception & Hearing Science Poster Session | Beaman/Maddox Grand Atrium |
| Fernando Lima | O'More College of Architecture & Design | The BabyCare Box Project: Architecture and nursing students Co-designing dignity, safety, and hope at the scale of the newborn | Beaman/Maddox Grand Atrium |
| Heejin Lee | O'More College of Architecture & Design | From Walls to Wellness: Evaluating Campus Spaces for Healthy Living | Beaman/Maddox Grand Atrium |
| Jamaine Davis | Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine | Igniting Discovery in Medicine | Beaman/Maddox Grand Atrium |
| Linda Wofford | Gordon E. Inman College of Nursing | Changes that Impact Patient Lives | Beaman/Maddox Grand Atrium |
| Priscilla Gitimu | O'More College of Architecture & Design | Honors Global Fashion Class | Beaman/Maddox Grand Atrium |
| Jhennifer Amundson | O'More College of Architecture & Design | Sacred Architecture & Cultural Change: sites of conflict and resilience from multidisciplinary perspectives | Beaman/Maddox Grand Atrium |
| Shelby Garner | Gordon E. Inman College of Nursing, Belmont Global | Global Health Innovation and Missions: Whole Person Care to Improve Community Health in Honduras | Beaman/Maddox Grand Atrium |
| Erica Aubrey | College of Music & Performing Arts | Musical Theatre Senior NYC Industry Showcase | Harton Hall |
| Carolyn Totaro | College of Music & Performing Arts | Introduction to Music Research | Hitch 130 |
| Joseph Watson | O'More College of Architecture & Design | Reimagining the Fort Negley Visitor Center | Hitch 204 |
| Thomas Sturgill | Watkins College of Art | Fine Art Senior Thesis Presentations | LCVA 120 |
| Traci Ledford | College of Music & Performing Arts | Shakespeare in Found Spaces: The Bard at Belmont | Outdoor (Troutt Blackbox rain backup) |
| Faculty Contact(s) | College | Session Title | Location |
| Layla Iskandar | O'More College of Architecture & Design | Integrated Sustainable Design: Data-Driven Approaches | Architecture Annex |
| Heather Finch | Interdisciplinary Studies & Global Education | From Campus to Community: Social Justice in Action | Ayers 1034 |
| Beth Bowman | College of Sciences & Mathematics | CSM Flash Talk Competition | Ayers 1037 |
| Andrew Davis | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Philosophy | Ayers 1045 |
| Ryan Fox | College of Education | From Here to a Belmont PhD: Projects from the Strategic Leadership in Education program | Ayers 2080 |
| Colin Cannonier | Jack C. Massey College of Business | Applied Economics at Belmont: Research Talks & Poster Presentations | Ayers 2090 |
| Nathan Griffith | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Political Science Senior Theses | Ayers 2092 |
| Annette Sisson | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Feminists, Psychopaths, & the Language of Resistance | Ayers 2095 |
| Erin Shankel | Gordon E. Inman College of Nursing | DNP Voices: Leading Change Through Practice | Ayers 4094 C/D |
| Sally Barton-Arwood | College of Education | Reflect, Grow, Launch: Gateway Four Presentations | Ayers 4098 |
| Sarah Crocker | College of Music & Performing Arts | Spring Harp Studio Concert | Harton Hall |
| Carolyn Totaro | College of Music & Performing Arts | Introduction to Music Research | Hitch 130 |
| Joseph Watson | O'More College of Architecture & Design | Reimagining the Fort Negley Visitor Center | Hitch 204 |
| wesley bulla | Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business | MSAE Auditory Perception & Hearing Science Session 2 | JCMC 308 |
| Laurie Gavilo-Lane | College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences | Public Health Policy Analysis | JCMC 311 |
| Ezell Lundy | College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences | Who Pays When Power Breaks the Rules? Inequality and Exposure in a Time of Crisis | JCMC 312 |
| Jessica Mueller | College of Music & Performing Arts | From Page to Stage: Research & Design for 1984 | JCMC 404 |
| Mitchell Waters | College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences | Innovations in Healing: Emerging Approaches in Mental Health Counseling | JCMC 408 |
| Tom Williams | Watkins College of Art | Portraiture and (Mis)Representation | LCVA 120 |
| Traci Ledford | College of Music & Performing Arts | Shakespeare in Found Spaces: The Bard at Belmont | Outdoor (Troutt Blackbox rain backup) |
Details coming soon
Build your own schedule (coming in April 2026)
Below, you can search by session name, student name*, and WELL Core category. You can add sessions to your calendar or sign up for reminder emails or texts by hovering over the session name and clicking "Add to Calendar" for options. Click the session name to see specific presentations within each session.
*Feature being finalized
Attendee FAQs
We would love to have all Belmont students attend SPARK! There is no registration process needed to attend SPARK. Please attend with all of the following benefits!
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Earn up to 8 WELL Core credits across different categories through the day (1 for each session; up to 2 for the Poster/Gallery session)
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Support your friends & learn about work done outside of the classroom
- Earn a SPARK Badge for attending one of each type of presentation (Scholarship, Performance, Art, Research, and Knowledge)
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Earn credit for the Career & Professional Development "My Career Plan"
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Free lunch for the first 2000 attendees! (more details to come)
- Add the SPARK Symposium on your resume in a diversity of ways. Check out the options in this example resume!
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SPARK day will be held on April 22nd. This day is reserved for the Symposium so that students and faculty can support the incredible work of our students. While undergraduate classes are not held on this day, this is still an academic day. Many undergraduate and some graduate courses are incorporating presentations or attendance for SPARK within their curriculum. Students should plan to attend the SPARK Symposium
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Students who attend one presentation of each SPARK category (Scholarship, Performance, Art, Research, and Knowledge) will earn a SPARK Badge. Session leaders have specified which category each session falls into. Learn more here! You will be notified after SPARK if you have earned the SPARK Badge.
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During SPARK, Lunch on the Lawn is provided by the Belmont Formation Collaborative, a grant provided by the Kern Family Foundation. Lunch will be provided as First Come, First Served, and will be accompanied by a musical performance
- Are you interested in supporting SPARK, either before the event or during SPARK day?
- Email beth.bowman@belmont.edu. We will add you to the list of volunteers and will get you options for ways to support the event later in the spring. We'd love to have your help!
Need help finding your way?
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