Potter College News

The Dean’s Council of Students (DCS) will host a new lecture series called Behind the Research (BTR). While most lectures around campus present research or creative projects, the unique goal of this series is to tell the stories behind the making of research.

The first professor to present at BTR is Dr. Blair Thompson of the Communication Department. He currently serves as the Interim Director of Teacher Education.

“Dr. Thompson is such a great communicator and story teller,” DCS President Ivy Sauder said. “I am so excited for students to experience a new side of a professor they know and love.”

Dr. Thompson gives his BTR talk on Tuesday, Feb. 12, in FAC 156 (next to the Potter College Academic Commons). The event begins at 4:30 p.m.

DCS drew inspiration for these future events by drawing from the past. The Wednesday Thursday Friday (WTF) series was a faculty research series hosted in residence halls about five years ago. Different professors discussed unique areas of their research.

“We just want to bring to light some of the cool things our professors do and have students see their professors in a different light,” DCS advisor and Student Services Coordinator Cierra Waller said. “We want to engage students with faculty.”

BTR is a student-led initiative created by DCS members who have previously completed research and came back with great stories to tell. It will give professors the space to share the exciting, profound, and even random happenings of research.

“DCS strives to get students further connected on campus, with faculty and staff, and with other students,” Sauder said. “This series does that perfectly. Our hope is that students will come and find deeper community and expand their worlds to find new areas of interest and exploration.”
Sauder has led DCS through new challenges over the academic year. Due to budget cuts, DCS became a student organization more independent from the Dean’s Office. This meant finding new sources of funding, such as organizational aid from the Student Government Association. In addition, students have taken larger leaderships within the organization, which has led to more innovation and projects like BTR.

“As president, it has been a joy and honor to see students within our organization step up to lead, share and create, and take responsibility for the betterment of Potter College,” Sauder said. “I cannot wait to see where the future will take us.”