On November 6, great student minds from around the state combined as Viterbo University hosted the annual 7 Rivers Undergraduate Research Symposium. The symposium allowed students from St. Mary’s University, the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, Luther College, and Viterbo University to give oral presentations, make posters, and answer questions about research they recently conducted.
The event, which was a hybrid of in-person and digital presentations, began with an introduction from Viterbo student Jessie Benson, who stated that “research is a foundational aspect of society.” Benson then introduced the event’s keynote speaker, Dan Baumgardt, the Science and Operations Officer for the National Weather Service in La Crosse. Baumgardt informed his online audience about recent heavy precipitation trends across parts of the Midwest, emphasizing what this says about our changing climate.
The symposium covered a variety of topics from many disciplines. One Viterbo student, Laura Weidemann, gave a presentation titled “Demoralizing Food” which addressed the stigmas that people attach to the kinds of food they eat. Another Viterbo Student, Jared Wilson, gave a presentation titled “The Dunning-Krugar Effect in Education and Politics,” using the results of a study he had conducted.
Nathan Janzen, a junior music BA and finance double major, challenged himself to merge the worlds of music and business to create his presentation, titled “Two Words, One Job: The Modern Impresario.” Inspired by research he had already conducted for a lengthy music history paper, Janzen decided to spend extra time to dive further into the world of opera managers.
“It basically started with one of my faculty mentors, Dr. Mary Ellen Haupert, wanting me to do research,” Janzen reflected, adding that he found great interest in exploring how the business side of opera has affected the overall artform. Janzen was a part of Viterbo’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, a program that funds research done by Viterbo students. “I was originally planning on going to Mantua, Italy, to visit Ducal Palace,” Janzen shared, though the COVID-19 pandemic forced him to quickly pivot. Instead, Janzen had the opportunity to meet virtually with opera managers from the Utah Opera and the Chicago Opera Theatre.
“I’d say the best part was connecting with the opera managers,” Janzen claimed. Through these conversations, he learned information about the job and found similarities with opera professionals. Janzen was excited about these experiences as they allowed him to “delve into a part of music history that people haven’t looked into as much.”
Janzen wanted to send another round of “thank you’s” to his two faculty mentors, Dr. Mary Ellen Haupert and Professor Dan Johnson Wilmot, who assisted Janzen in making valuable connections and finding starting points for his research. He also wanted to show his appreciation for the leadership of the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship.
As the 7 Rivers Research Symposium concluded, all in attendance were reminded once more of the brilliance that surrounds our area. Students from across the Midwest were able to join forces to challenge and educate one another, leaving all in attendance with a greater understanding and appreciation for the research of disciplines they had never explored.
