Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Academic Celebration?
  • Academic Celebration is a long-standing tradition at Mercyhurst, sponsored for the last several years by the Mercyhurst College Honors Program. It is a sort of "conference" centered around a particular topic or theme, where students, faculty, staff, administration, and outside speakers come together to share their ideas. Presentations may take the form of lectures, debates, presentations, fine arts performances, poster or photography displays, or any other creative expression. All events are free and open to the public, and many are Honors Certified. While the event is always supervised by a Faculty Advisor, the student chairs do the majority of the work in preparation for the events.
• Who can participate?
  • Each fall, all members of the Mercyhurst community are encouraged to participate, and proposals are accepted from students, faculty, and outside speakers brought in by a campus representative. EVERYONE is invited & encouraged to attend events.
• What are the responsibilities of the presenters?
  • Academic Celebration is a major event, and requires months of planning. To ensure success, all presenters must agree to certain terms:
    • All due dates are firm and must be followed.
    • It is the presenter's responsibility to make sure that all information on the proposal forms is accurate and complete, especially information regarding dates, times, locations & audio-visual needs.
    • We ask that presenters direct ALL questions & concerns to one of the AC staff members, and if necessary we will pass them along to the appropriate people.
    • If a last minute change is unavoidable, or if an event must be canceled, presenters MUST discuss this directly with an AC staff member as soon as possible.
    • The AC Staff will be advertising the entire Academic Celebration event, but presenters are responsible for any additional advertising that they would like for their individual event. In essence, presenters are responsible for generating their audience.
• How can a presenter ensure good attendance at an event?
  • Make posters and hang them around campus
  • Consider placing posters at strategic LEGAL locations around town (some suggestions: Gannon University, Penn State Behrend, libraries, coffee shops, The Cornerstone, Forward Hall music club, the Metropolitan, the Docksider, etc.)
  • Consider asking people in the communications or public relations departments for suggestions regarding advertising
  • Ask professors to make announcements in class about relevant events
  • Some professors offer extra credit or other incentives for attendance
  • Tell your friends, family, neighbors, classmates, strangers on the street -- never underestimate the power of word-of-mouth advertising!