Research Conference

Last fall, I took my senior capstone class, Senior Seminar in Business, in which we are asked to write a 5,000 word analytical paper on any topic of our choice. At first, it sounds like a very daunting task and something that would take countless hours, stress, tears, and sleepless nights.  And that is just what it was.  We were told 5,000 words was going to be about 20 pages, and we needed a minimum of 8 sources.  I had been thinking since last year about what I would write my paper on knowing the time was coming when I would be tasked with writing the paper. I decided, after working a few months at my internship this summer, that I would write my paper on something surrounding Fair Trade.  After choosing this, I had many ideas of where I could go with this topic and began to come up with some research questions.  I had MUCH back and forth with my professor and the librarians about appropriate topics that I could find research on and write my paper on.  I finally settled on looking into the relationship between the producers and the consumers of fair trade products, and more specifically, how the producers influence the market for, and consumers of fair trade products.

I began to research and write my paper and spent countless hours researching and writing and stressing.  But, I finished and turned it in right before leaving for thanksgiving break.  I had written a 25 page, 7,300 words paper with over 25 sources.  I almost immediate forgot about the paper and moved on.  Eventually, around finals week, I got my paper back and got a 95% on it.  I was proud of my self, but focused on the next adventures in life. 

Early in January, I received an email from my professor who was asking if I would like to apply for a conference in which I submitted my research paper.  I decided to do it, and started reworking on my paper, that I thought I wouldn’t have to look at again.  I got it fixed up and submitted it to the Sam Houston General Business Conference in Huntsville, Texas.  A few weeks later, I found out that my paper was accepted.  I began making preparations to travel to Texas with two other students and a professor in order to present this research.  I had to make a presentation also format my paper for the conference proceedings; we had to submit requests for money, and make travel arrangements.  Come to find out, we also had to make a poser for RICE day at Wartburg.  Through all the work, I learned a lot about myself and also was getting excited and nervous to present the research. 

On the way to the conference, we found out there would be about 150 people at the conference and were also talking about how things would run and what else we would do.  Upon arriving in Huntsville after 3 flights and an hour and a half car ride, we checked into the hotel, and found some food at a GREAT Mexican restaurant.  We used our noses to lead us to a good pick J. 

Friday, we arrived at the conference to find out there were only 40 people there.  I sat through Ben’s presentation group (4 presentations, about 10 people in the room), the keynote (an economist from Egypt), Kayla’s presentation (4 presentations, 7 people in the room), had a fantastic lunch, then got to present.  I presented to the two other Wartburg students, our professor, the two moderators, and one other lady who presented before me.  It helped calm the nerves to know there were not many people there, but was also frustrating. My presentation went off without a hitch and I fielded the questions well.  After that, Kayla and I went to one more presentation, found Ewest and Ben, saw the Sam Houston 60 ft statue, and then went to a FABULOUS dinner provided by the university.  It was at the historic Peabody Library which is now sort of like our Castle Room.  We had some chicken and fish (which I didn’t eat), potatoes, veggies, salad, and chocolate cake. 

Saturday, we skipped the morning session, slept in, and then headed down to Galveston for a day at the beach.  It was super windy blowing sand everywhere and the waves were huge.  Ben and I split some delicious pizza, and then headed down to the beach.  I laid out for a while until my back was significantly sun burnt.  Then I headed up to a Holiday Inn to use the internet since our hotel didn’t have any. I stayed there until about 530 when we all met up dinner.  Ben and Ewest had wanted to go to a seafood joint where the cheapest plate was 20 bucks, but Kayla and I didn’t like seafood, so we made them go for some BBQ.  It wasn’t the best, but it was cheap and better than seafood.  We then drove back to Huntsville and crashed. 

Sunday was low key.   It consisted of sleeping in, breakfast, loading, driving to Houston, finding a Whataburger to eat at, then getting the car returned and flying home.  Our flight was showing on time which was good because of all the storms in the Midwest.  We boarded on time, and then got off on time.  As we sat on the tarmac for 40 minutes, the pilot said we had been rerouted about 200 miles to avoid the storm.  So, our hour and a half flight because about a 2 hour 20 minute flight. 

The conference was good as was the trip,  but frustrating.  It was on the schools budget, but we paid for food because RICE day took away some undergrad research funds.  Although it would have been more nerve racking, I felt as though it would have been better experience to present at a larger conference.  I know that there was no way to know how many people would be there, but everyone else there were professors or a few doctoral students.  There were no undergrads there, and I would have loved to meet more students and see what others were doing.  There has been another conference they went to a few years ago in Ohio that was larger and I think I would have preferred that, but being on the schools budget, I guess I can’t complain too much.  It was a good experience, but I would have loved to meet people and present to a larger group and get some more feedback and hear other speeches. 

Anyway, I can’t wait to travel this may term with Ewest again and take some more jokes from him.  It is all downhill from here.