Story by Jake Eccleston, Reporter
Photo courtesy of Mlive

While some students come to college not knowing what they want to study, others arrive ready to throw themselves headlong into their studies.  Regardless of which of these you fall into, Aquinas will be hosting an event for you that will enable you to see what other students are doing in their prospective majors, and how staff and faculty have helped them achieve and even exceed their goals.

If you are interested in hearing about what some of the brightest minds at Aquinas are working on, then AQ Lightning Talks: A Place for Ideas is the event for you.  This event, hosted by the Provost’s Office and the Art Department will surely be a truly spectacular event.

On Thursday, March 17, Aquinas College faculty, staff  and students will host the first of many annual event.  Its focus centers around the discussion of ideas that are motivating the research going on in and around the classrooms by Aquinas students.  The lightning-style talks will touch on topics in fifteen different fields of study across the humanities, math, physical sciences, social sciences, economics, bioethics, sustainability, political science, and community leadership. Additionally, one discussion will focus on student life at Aquinas.  

Father Stan Drongowski, beloved campus priest, is excited to be one of the presenters, talking to senior Chucky Blackmore about his experience as a non-Catholic student at a predominantly Catholic school.  Other faculty speakers will include Director of Community Leadership, Dr. Mike Lorr; Associate Professor of History, Bethany Kilcrease; Associate Professor of Art; and, Professor of Political Science Roger Durham–among many other campus favorites.  Some of the students who will be in conversation with faculty and staff include seniors Elizabeth Sensing and Nathan Gimby, juniors Isabel Bailey and Matthew Morales, and sophomore Cordell Chester.    

If you are interested in attending this thought-provoking event, come to the AQ Lightning Talks on Thursday, March 17, from 2:00 PM until 3:45 PM in both the Wege Ballroom & the Loutit Room.  It is free for all in attendance and it is open to the public.  An outline of the afternoon’s event can be found below:

Courtesy Caroline Cook