Private College Scholars at the Capitol - About PCSAC
Purpose: PCSC helps members of the Minnesota legislature and the Governor understand the important role that involving undergraduates in research, scholarly, and creative work plays in their education and professional development. It affords legislators the opportunity to meet outstanding students—future leaders—who are products of the Minnesota private colleges and universities system.
Campus Contact Persons: Campus contact persons, designated faculty or staff members at each college/university, help to publicize the event on their home campus and coordinate the selection of student presenters. They also register participants and send the registration fee to MPCC.
Participants: The Minnesota Private College Scholars at the Capitol will display, in poster format, the work of 24 exceptional undergraduates from Minnesota's 17 private colleges and universities.
Selecting Participants: The nature of the selection process is the jurisdiction of individual colleges and universities. All academic disciplines are welcome, from Art to Zoology. Our hope is to present the breadth and depth of undergraduate research and creative scholarship at Minnesota's private schools. Historically, the sciences have been generously represented so we encourage campus representatives to consider the full range of disciplines. In addition to meeting the standard of quality research, we ask recommenders to consider a student’s ability to communicate effectively.
Registering Participants: Each campus representative is asked to nominate two students by completing the registration form here. Depending on the number of students registered by the November 1 deadline, campus representatives may have the opportunity to nominate additional students. If additional spots open up campus representatives will be notified; selection for additional presenters will be decided on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Registration deadline: November 1, 2009
Registration Fee: The cost is $50 per poster, which supports our production of an abstract booklet, lunch for the students and mentors, and rental of the equipment. Each college is responsible for the production of poster and transportation of students and faculty mentors to the event. Please make checks payable to MPCC-PCSAC.
Mail payment to:
John Manning, Communications Associate
Minnesota Private College Council
445 Minnesota St, Suite 500
St. Paul MN 55101-2903
Publicity: Campus contact persons at each college/university help to publicize the event on their home campus. Ask the campus PR department to notify the student’s hometown paper. Some papers have written articles before or after the event. After the event deliver abstract booklets “to the right people” on your campus.
By no later than January 14, students are required to contact their House and Senate member and arrange an appointment for a visit. This visit should be done between 9:45 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. to present them with a copy of the abstract booklet and personally invite them to view your poster.
It is IMPORTANT that you write your home district state legislators (not your federal representatives) and invite them to Scholars at the Capitol AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. If you are not a Minnesota resident, please write and invite state legislators who represent your college or university's district. Again, it is your STATE House and Senate members that you need to contact. We will also be inviting the Governor and all private college and university presidents.
For a sample letter, please follow this link. Please feel free to personalize or change this letter. An excellent web site you can use to identify your home district legislators and locate mailing addresses can be found at www.vote-smart.org
