Hastings College Cancels Classes for Student Research Day

Imagine a college so committed to student success that it cancels all classes for an entire day just to celebrate their work. That's exactly what Hastings College in Nebraska is doing this April.

The annual Celebration of Excellence on April 29 transforms the campus into a showcase of student brilliance. Over 20 research presentations and 30 poster displays will fill Morrison-Reeves Science Center from morning through early afternoon, all free and open to the public.

Students will present 20-minute talks on topics ranging from LGBTQIA+ identity and language to the evolution of healthcare ethics. The research posters will be on display during a two-hour window where anyone can stop by, ask questions, and see what students have been working on all year.

The college's Alpha Chi honor society manages the entire Academic Showcase. They've organized presentations across multiple rooms, with topics spanning everything from quilting in prisons to wilderness accessibility theology. Each presentation represents months of student dedication and faculty mentorship.

Why This Inspires

Canceling classes sends a powerful message: research and creative work matter just as much as traditional coursework. Students aren't squeezing presentations between regular obligations. The entire campus community can attend without conflicts.

The day concludes with an Honors Convocation at 3:30 p.m. in French Memorial Chapel. That's when the college announces its highest honors, including the prestigious Bronco Award, established in 1924 and voted on by students and faculty together.

This year's convocation speaker is Brett Williams, a 1998 graduate who's returning to campus as the new director of Information Technology. After spending 24 years in higher education at the University of Wyoming, Williams credits Hastings College with teaching him how to think, communicate, and listen.

The convocation will stream live on the college's YouTube channel for families and alumni who can't attend in person. It's a chance for the broader Hastings community to see what their local college students have accomplished.

By making celebration a campus-wide priority, Hastings College shows that recognizing achievement matters just as much as earning it.