ÈËÆÞÓÕ»ó

Register

Participation in the Showcase is required for students receiving funding through the following sources:

• Center for Life Beyond ÈËÆÞÓÕ»ó (CLBR) programs, including
  • Summer Internship Awards;
  • President’s Summer Fellowship;
  • Climate Change Research and Education Fund;
  • Economics and Art Internship Awards.
• Select Undergraduate Research Committee (URC) awards

If you are unsure whether participation is required for your award, please contact your award coordinator.

Students receiving other ÈËÆÞÓÕ»ó College awards, departmental funding, or external funding for summer research, projects, or internships are also encouraged to participate.

Deadlines

Early bird registration: July 6, 2026, by 5 p.m. pacific

Early registration guarantees a presentation spot for students who are not required to participate, should the event reach capacity.

Final registration deadline: August 7, 2026, by 5 p.m. pacific

Timeline

June

• Registration open—sign up early to reserve your spot
• Begin your summer research, internship, or creative project
• Start brainstorming ideas and designs for your presentation

July

• Early bird registration deadline: July 6, 2026
• Continue developing your project and refining your presentation
• Draft and design your poster or creative presentation materials

August

• Final registration deadline: August 7, 2026
• Showcase materials submission deadline: August 10, 2026
• Finalize your research, presentation materials, and/or poster

September

• Prepare for showcase day and practice presenting your work
• President’s Student Showcase: September 3, 2026

Event Day Logistics

Where do I check in?

The check-in table will be located inside the third-floor entrance of the PAB. Please stop by when you arrive to sign in and pick up your name tag. Your name tag will include your presentation session and presentation location, and our team will be available to help you find your assigned space.

When should I arrive?

Please plan to arrive by 3:30 PM, at least 30 minutes before the event begins, unless you have a class that prevents you from doing so. If you are unable to arrive by 3:30 PM, please plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled presentation time. This will give you plenty of time to check in, find your presentation space, connect with fellow presenters, and get settled before you begin presenting.

Where is my presentation space?

Every presenter will have an assigned presentation space that includes an easel and foam board.

If you are presenting a poster, it will already be mounted on the easel before the event. If you are giving a creative presentation, your assigned space will also include an easel, though there will not be a poster displayed.

If you have opted for the creative presentation option and it requires additional setup time, please reach out to us before the event. We will do our best to make the necessary arrangements.

When will I present?

Presentations are divided into two sessions:

• Presentation Session A: 4:00-4:50 p.m.
• Presentation Session B: 5:00-5:50 p.m.

You will receive your assigned session by email 1-2 weeks before the event, and it will also be printed on your name tag. We will do our best to accommodate any class conflicts noted during registration.

Please be ready to begin promptly at the start of your assigned session. There will be a 10-minute transition period between sessions (4:50-5:00 p.m.) to allow presenters to switch places. Please be mindful of the time and one another to help us keep the event running smoothly for everyone!

What should I do when I'm not presenting?

We encourage you to use your non-presenting session to explore other presentations, connect with fellow presenters and community members, and enjoy the refreshments available throughout the event.

Will food be provided?

Yes. Light refreshments will be available throughout the event. We encourage you to enjoy them during the session in which you are not presenting.

What should I wear?

Business casual attire is recommended. Slacks, skirts, dresses, collared shirts, blouses, and similar attire are all appropriate. Choose clothing that is both comfortable and polished. We want you to be at ease and also to make a good impression with the alumni and other professionals who will be in attendance. 

Will photos be taken?

Yes. This event will be photographed in alignment with ÈËÆÞÓÕ»ó College’s Recording and Photography Guidelines. 

Images may be used by the college for promotional or educational purposes, including on websites, social media, and in print materials. We understand that comfort levels with photography vary. If you prefer not to have your image used, please contact the Office of Strategic Communications & Marketing at communications@reed.edu.

Event FAQs

Do I need to participate in the Showcase?

All ÈËÆÞÓÕ»ó students engaging in summer research, projects, or work are invited to participate, though some students are required to participate. For ÈËÆÞÓÕ»ó-funded summer opportunities, the requirement is based on the requirements of your funding source. Please refer to your award letter for more information. If you aren’t sure where to find your award letter, please contact the administrator for your grant. For example, if you received funding from your home department or major, you would contact your Faculty Administrative Coordinator. 

All other students receiving external funding or otherwise, are invited, but not required to present.

Can I invite people to the event?

YES! Please do! All students are encouraged to invite friends, family, mentors and colleagues. Parking on and around campus may be hard to find, so please encourage them to plan accordingly. 

Do I need to take my poster with me after the event?

YES please! We encourage you to take your poster with you as you may be invited to present your work at other events such as Parent Family Weekend. 

Moreover, any materials you bring with you or have at your station are your responsibility to pick up. Please help us to keep the space clean by cleaning up after yourself!

Every student will be assigned approximately four square feet of floor space and each space will have an easel and foam board set up before your arrival. You may choose to move the easel to the side, move the foam board, or use both for your presentation. You may utilize the space as you like, as long as you stay within the allotted space.

Students have two options to present:

• Poster Presentation
• Creative Presentation

We encourage all students to choose the presentation option which is most commonly used in your discipline. Whichever option you choose, you must submit proof of your project by the submission deadline of August 10, 2026. Please see additional submission instructions below.

Poster Presentation

General Requirements

Every poster must include these elements:

• Poster size: 24” × 36” (landscape orientation)
• Required content: 
  • Poster title 
  • Your name 
  • Faculty mentor; name of institution; internship organization; project partners (whichever is relevant to you)
  • Funding source (as listed in your award letter)
• File format: Submit your final poster as a PDF
• File naming: Include your first and last name in the file name

Templates

Poster Design Options

You may choose one of the following approaches:

• Use a provided
  • Sign in with your ÈËÆÞÓÕ»ó Google account to access the template. Delete any extra slides before submitting (only one poster should remain), replace the template content with your own.
• Create your own design
  • Use Google Slides, PowerPoint, Canva, or another visual design platform.
  • Ensure your final design meets all of the general requirements listed above for poster presentations.

Suggested Content

Your poster sections may include, but are not limited to, the following:

For Summer Research:

• Title: Include title, authors, and institution or department
• Abstract (optional, but good practice): Brief summary of context, methods, results, conclusions, and significance
• Introduction or Background: Project goals and context, often in bullet points
• Methods: Simple overview of procedures using visuals or flow charts
• Results: Mainly figures, tables, graphs, or images with clear titles, legends, and labeled axes
• Conclusions: Key takeaways from the results
• Acknowledgements: Credit contributors and funding sources
• References: Include essential citations only (if any)

Adjust accordingly for humanities research, particularly in the methods and results section, as there may be fewer charts, tables, or graphs.

For Non-Research (Internships and Other Projects):

• Title: Include project or internship title, your name, organization, and department
• Overview: Brief introduction to the project, internship, or experience
• Organization and Field: Background on the organization and industry or field
• Responsibilities: Main tasks, projects, and contributions
• Learning Outcomes: Skills, knowledge, and experience gained
• Reflection: Personal insights and takeaways from the experience
• Challenges: Obstacles faced and how you addressed them
• Professional Goals: Connection between the experience and your future career plans
• Contact Information: Include your email, LinkedIn, or e-business card QR code

General Tips

• Avoid PNG images with transparent backgrounds when possible. Transparency may print incorrectly; JPG files are often more reliable.
• Use dark backgrounds sparingly to reduce ink usage and improve readability.
• Ensure text, graphs, and images are easy to read from several feet away.
• Proofread carefully for typos, formatting issues, and missing labels.
• Have a faculty mentor, supervisor, or CLBR advisor review your poster before submission.

Creative Presentation

Students choosing the creative presentation option can incorporate multimedia, artistic, or other interactive elements into their display.

General Requirements

Creative presentations must include these elements:

• Required Content:
  • Presentation or project title,
  • Your full name (class year and major are optional)
  • Faculty mentor; name of institution; internship organization; or project partners
  • Funding source (listed in your award letter)
• Printed Material: If you are not submitting a poster, we will not be printing anything on your behalf. Please bring with you a printed copy (any size from 8.5x11 up to 24x36) containing the above information (see Required Content). Every station will have an easel and foam board.
• File format: Submit documentation of your project by uploading a photo, scan, etc. of your project by the August 10, 2026 deadline. (.png, .jpg, and .pdf file types accepted).
• File naming: Include your first and last name in the file name (ex. Jones Presentation)

Each student will be provided approximately four square feet of floor space to work with, which will include an easel and foam core backing (these cannot be removed, however you are welcome to bring items to decorate the easel as desired or move the items to the side). Students may consult with department faculty or staff about any discipline-specific items they may need to showcase their work (for example, a mannequin)

Suggested Content

Your presentation may include, but is not limited to, the following:

For Summer Creative Scholarship

• Overview: Brief summary of research question, methods, or processes (i.e. what did you do?), final performance or piece of art or writing, and an articulation of stakes, i.e. "why was it important to make or study this work of art, and why now?"
• Research question: What central question did you explore in your creative project? What did you seek to learn or make or do?
• Methods or Processes: Make a visual or written representation of what you did to investigate your question or make your art.
• Results: What did you make or learn or do? Show us.

Examples of Creative Presentation Formats:

• Laptop or iPad displaying videos, images, or digital media
• Artwork or visual art pieces
• Costumes displayed on mannequins
• Interactive displays or props
• Other creative presentation materials

For creative projects, consider what excerpt from your project can showcase what you learned as a whole. You could make a zine to share, display a painting or sculpture, print out pages from a play you wrote or make a storyboard, show a video of your dance or perform a phrase live, play a phrase of music (live or recorded), display your puppet/set/light plot/costume, make paper copies of your poem to share with those in attendance, etc.

Online Resources

The following links provide further information and resources on how to best design poster presentations, especially for internships, and some examples.

Resources from other institutions

Feedback

CLBR advisors are available all summer to support you. Please make an appointment to get support with your poster or creative presentation; this can be anything from brainstorming support and general feedback, to detailed edits.

We encourage all students to either meet with an advisor or have a supervisor, mentor, or peer look over their Showcase materials prior to submission.