Posters advertising talks about women presidents, race and gender in the media and environmental journalism line the walls of the first floor Student Union ballroom and surrounding area. They’re advertising this year’s 13th annual Celebration of Student Research and Creativity festival.

This year, approximately 268 posters were on display on Wednesday, April 15. Throughout the week, other displays of the arts and sciences will be presented.

“This is the largest poster presentation we’ve had at NKU,” the chair of the communication department and co-chair of Celebration Dr. Zach Hart said.

In terms of the posters, there are more applicants than they expected. There were 17 percent more applicants than last year.

Each college is represented at Celebration such as the colleges of informatics and business. This year, there are three new sections—ecological stewardship institute (ESI), innovation and thinking global.

In ESI, biology major and chemistry minor, Millicent Frimpong-Manso presented her poster about the dangers of bacteria in the water supply.

Frimpong-Manso said that she wanted to expand on her major as well as the medical side since she is going to medical school.

Other students such as sophomore electronic media broadcasting major, Sarah Kellam had a poster for the first ladies.

“One of my favorites is Sarah Polk,” Kellam said. “James K. Polk… Married her for her intelligence.”

Kellam noted how the women helped display a positive image for the husbands and discussed some of the behind the scenes action the women did.

“And then you have Hillary Clinton who basically ran the country,” Kellam said.

President Mearns took the stage to address the crowd.

“One of the reasons I am so privileged and so proud is what you see in this room here,” Mearns said. “When you walk around and you see the extraordinary work of our outstanding students supported by our dedicated faculty and staff. It just makes you so very, very proud to be a part of this university.”

Celebration also will present several musical and theatrical performances set up outside on NKU’s plazas.

“It’s a five day sampler of the arts,” Dr. Christine Curran, the co-chair of Celebration said. “You should hear music all week.”

On Thursday, the gallery will be solely dedicated to the senior projects.

Dr. Curran said that Celebration is beneficial to students because undergraduates have a chance to display their works. Students also gain experience in talking to different groups of people about their works.

“It brings people together,” Dr. Curran said. “It’s to show what the university is doing.”

To read all of our Celebration coverage go to https://www.thenortherner.com/celebration/