Bushnell University Celebrates Academic Excellence

EUGENE, Ore. — Bushnell University wrapped up the term by hosting its much-anticipated Academic Creativity and Excellence (ACE) Day, a bi-annual colloquium of intellectual talent and innovative spirit, founded by Dr. Tim Bergquist. This event, held each semester, offers a unique platform for graduating students to present their capstone research projects and for other students to showcase research from individual classes. 

ACE Day transforms Bushnell’s campus into a space of knowledge and creativity, with students visually illustrating their research projects on posters or through presentations. The posters, a testament to months of dedication and academic analysis, were evaluated by a panel of judges consisting of Bushnell University faculty and community members. At the conclusion of ACE Day, the top three posters were recognized for their outstanding contributions to academic creativity and excellence.  

Senior Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS) major Katie Johnson received a perfect score from the judges to claim first place, presenting on continuous glucose monitors (CGM) and how they are changing the way providers treat and manage diabetes.  

Junior Nathan Rasmussen, another IDS major, and sophomore business major Garrett Vohs earned second place, examining the factors that determine Major League Baseball (MLB) player value. 

A trio of sophomores, Harmony Goodman (business), Sidney Lane (kinesiology), and Sayer Pescosolido (business) finished in third place, presenting on sports betting and how it impacts the sports culture and regulations. 

This semester, ACE Day featured over 80 presentations, doubling last fall’s presentations. Themes spanned a broad spectrum, including enhancing the college learning experience, production innovation, integrating faith to business, and exploring the challenges facing the Christian church. 

A highlight from the morning session was the crowning of the 2023 Bushnell University debate champion. By a 6-5 vote from the audience, senior Spencer Hoffman avenged his first debate defeat to fellow communication major junior Grayson Bolanos earlier this fall, debating on the topic of whether Jesus was all knowing.  

Central to ACE Day is an immersive marketing expo orchestrated by Bushnell’s Intro to Marketing class in collaboration with a local partner, Haus and Garten, a premium home and garden company. Following diligent research, students undertook the challenge of conceiving a cutting-edge product idea paired with a compelling marketing campaign. The grand unveiling took place during the event, where teams showcased their ingenuity in an expo-style setting amid concurrent presentations. This year’s award recipients include junior IDS major Alec Gums, recipient of the Client’s Product Choice award, junior business major Luke Smith and senior communication major Amanda Sisul, securing the Visitor’s Choice award, and junior business major Xiaohui (Candy) He, honored with the Best Campaign award. 

Doyle Srader, Ph.D., professor of speech and communication and organizer of ACE Day, reflected on the significance of ACE Day, remarking, “At chapel we celebrate our faith, on ETC day we reflect God’s glory by serving our neighbors, and on ACE Day we share the fruits of His good gift of wisdom. Learning is worship.” 

To view the entire ACE Day presentation list, visit www.aceday.bushnell.edu. To see the complete photo gallery, visit www.bushnelluniversity.pixieset.com.