EUGENE, Ore. — Bushnell University recently hosted its spring Academic Creativity and Excellence (ACE) Days — a campus-wide celebration of student research, capstone projects, and innovative presentations. Founded by Dr. Tim Bergquist, emeritus professor of quantitative business models, the event provides a dynamic platform for students to showcase their academic accomplishments and creative thinking. From scholarly research to real-world applications, the presentations reflected Bushnell’s mission to cultivate wisdom, deepen faith, and inspire service.
Called to Serve: A History of Missions at Bushnell University
Among the featured projects at ACE Day was “Called to Serve: A History of Missions at Bushnell University,” a student-curated museum exhibit that delved into the university’s longstanding tradition of mission work. Using archival photographs, historical documents, and personal narratives, the exhibit highlighted the impact of both global and local missions and how they have shaped the university’s story over time.
Constructed with reclaimed materials — wood pallets, benches, and gridwalls — the display invited visitors into an immersive experience. Each section reflected the motivations, challenges, and enduring impact of those who felt “called to serve.” The exhibit encouraged viewers to consider the evolving role of missions in both historical and contemporary contexts and served as a visual reminder of Bushnell’s ongoing commitment to service.
Creativity in Action: Exhibits, Branding, and Storytelling
ACE Day also featured several creative student showcases, including a branding competition for Christians As Family Advocates (CAFA), which is launching a new emotional support center for those affected by cancer. The challenge was to develop branding and promotional materials that communicate care, hope, and clarity.
Sophomore business majors Jesus Aguilar and Francisco Cayolla earned the “Client’s Choice Award” and the “Visitor’s Choice Award” for their campaign, which stood out for its strong logo and compelling press release. “I feel like a double winner,” Aguilar said, “because we’re doing something meaningful that will help a lot of people.” The client team was so impressed with the submissions that they plan to incorporate elements from several student projects into their final rollout.
Another exciting project was “Beyond Labels: Excavating Identity and Culture at Bushnell University,” an interactive cultural exhibit centered on identity and belonging. Students interviewed various stakeholder groups — athletes, commuters, faculty, staff, and administrators — and crafted artifacts reflecting their voices. The exhibit featured a bookshelf display of these artifacts with explanatory paragraphs, a polaroid photo collage, statistical data, and a short film compiling voices from the campus. This living cultural museum invited viewers to consider what it means to be seen beyond labels and to celebrate the richness of our shared identity.
Academic Excellence on Display: Research, Capstones, and Top Awards
Student presenters demonstrated the depth of their academic growth through senior capstone presentations and the annual scholar lunch, sharing months of research shaped by personal passion and real-world relevance.
The scholar lunch featured a series of five-minute lightning talks that highlighted the distinctive aspects of students’ fields of study. Topics ranged from insights gained in social media marketing to the future of AI in software engineering, from the exploration of literary perspectives to the application of mathematical concepts. One talk also explored the journey of switching majors and discovering a focus in a specific area of interest.
Among the senior capstone projects, senior psychology major Isabella Hernandez examined “The Impact of Sports Participation on Children’s Biopsychosocial Development,” weighing the physical, emotional, and social effects of youth sports. Senior interdisciplinary studies major Nate Rasmussen presented “Anatomy is Destiny: How Anatomical Features Affect Performance in Baseball,” a research project analyzing Bushnell University’s pitchers to explore how anatomical traits influence athletic performance. His findings led to the creation of the “Rasmussen Protocol,” a cost-effective training tool designed to make advanced player development more accessible. Senior English major Alexia Krogh presented on suffering in Catholic literature, drawing from “The Power and the Glory” by Graham Greene and “Revelation” by Flannery O’Connor.
ACE day also featured a competitive poster board showcase, with more than thirty student entries representing academic programs such as education, business, accounting, and Spanish. Top honors went to all teacher education majors. Sophomore Dulce Ramirez-Ramos, who earned first place honors for her project “Literal Analysis of ‘La noche boca arriba’ by Julio Cortázar.” Her literary analysis received the highest score (69.67/70) for its in-depth exploration of theme, structure, and style. Second place was awarded to senior Isaiah Campbell-Wallace for “Pets in the Elementary Classroom,” a project from EDUC 321 that examined how classroom pets can enhance emotional support, responsibility, and student engagement. Third place went to senior Marques Brown for his project “What Practices Can Educators Utilize to Better Connect with Reluctant Readers at the Secondary Level?” which explored strategies such as student choice, relevant content, and digital integration. The poster showcase was just one part of a larger day dedicated to celebrating student achievement across many disciplines.
ACE Day brings together students, faculty, and members of the local community for a meaningful showcase of academic work, creative expression, and service-oriented projects. From research on classroom management to marketing strategies for local businesses, the event highlighted how Bushnell students apply their education to address real-world opportunities and challenges. The day reflected a shared commitment to collaboration, engagement, and service — core values that define Bushnell University’s mission to prepare students for lives of purpose and impact.
For a complete list of ACE Day presentations, visit www.aceday.bushnell.edu. To view the full photo gallery, visit Bushnell University’s Pixieset gallery.