EUGENE, Ore. – Bushnell University hosted its Spring 2026 Academic Creativity and Excellence (ACE) Day, a campus-wide celebration of student research and senior capstone projects. Founded by Dr. Tim Bergquist, emeritus professor of quantitative business models, ACE Day provides a platform for students to share their academic work, which focuses on curiosity-driven research and real-world application.
Among the day’s featured events was the scholar lunch, where students delivered five-minute talks centered on a single meaningful idea from their discipline. Marketing, music, business, history, psychology, biblical studies, mathematics, and communication were all represented. The session highlighted students’ curiosity and the wide range of ideas being explored across campus.
Creativity in Action: Applied Projects and Community Engagement
Applied and experiential learning remained a central part of ACE Day.
In history courses, students translated research into interactive learning experiences, inviting attendees to engage history through gameplay and decision-making. These projects treated history as an active process of interpretation rather than a passive reception of information.
The Sports History Pop-Up Museum provided an immersive experience, guiding visitors through archival photographs, artifacts, and narratives that explored how Bushnell athletics has shaped campus life and broader cultural conversations around inclusion, competition, and memory.
In “The Die is Cast”: Exploring History Through Play, students invited participants to engage directly with historical arguments through structured activities grounded in primary-source research. These experiences emphasized the role of historical inquiry in developing critical thinking and civic understanding.
Innovation in STEM and Technology
Students in computer science and engineering disciplines presented work that paired technical skill with real-world application.
Senior capstone presentations included projects such as Nippon Navigator, a full-stack travel-planning platform focused on Japan, as well as advanced software and robotics applications integrating machine vision, user interface design, and database architecture.
Additional coursework showcased projects involving Raspberry Pi and Arduino systems, personal data exploration tools that collect and analyze web-based information, and cloud-deployed applications using image-processing algorithms and container-based environments. These projects demonstrated growth from foundational programming skills to more complex, applied solutions.
Academic Excellence: Capstones and Research
In psychology, students delivered evidence-based syntheses on topics including competitive anxiety in athletes, leadership and attachment theory, veteran mental health during the transition to civilian life, and the effectiveness of mental development programs. These capstones reflected strong engagement with current research and a focus on human well-being.
Capstones in biblical and theological studies explored questions of doctrine, identity, and community, including examinations of divine sovereignty, the role of women in church history, and approaches to ministry across cultural and relational differences.
In the sciences, students addressed topics ranging from forensic biology and post-mortem interval estimation to nutrition, environmental stewardship, and the physiological impacts of supplementation and performance.
Communication and humanities students contributed rhetorical analyses, cultural critiques, and literary studies, examining topics such as media messaging, national identity, and the relevance of historical and cultural narratives.
Poster presentations offered a concentrated look at student work across disciplines, particularly within psychology, science, and communication studies. Collaborative work in Neurodiverse Psychology highlighted research on psychological disorders, treatment approaches, and community resources, translating complex findings into accessible and practical knowledge.
Judges engaged presenters throughout the day, evaluating projects based on clarity, evidence, and effectiveness of communication.
In the morning poster session, senior psychology major and public speaking minor Ana Augusto earned first place, followed by junior interdisciplinary studies major Mira Campanella in second. Junior communication: public relations major Jacqueline Ullrich, who is also pursuing a minor in Bible and theology, and junior communication: public relations major Jermaine Schexnayder tied for third.
In the afternoon history exhibit, judges awarded a tie for first place to two projects: The Coming of Title IX at Bushnell, which explored the history of women and sports at the university, and An Enlightenment Murder Mystery, an interactive game centered on a battle of ideas between Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Mary Wollstonecraft.
The Title IX exhibit was created by junior interdisciplinary studies major Angel Iheanyi-Igwe, freshman business major Tristyn Burnes, freshman graphic design and digital media major Alexzander Stranghoener, sophomore business administration: management & leadership major Will Plenkovich, and freshman undeclared major Eden Moore. The Enlightenment project was developed by sophomore digital media and graphic design major Lauren Sprengeler, freshman business administration major Elijah Goosby, and non-degree-seeking student Jada Iheanyi-Igwe.
Community Impact and Mission
ACE Day reflects Bushnell University’s mission to foster wisdom, faith, and service through excellent academic programs within a Christ-centered community.
Across presentations, exhibits, and capstone work, students demonstrated both academic achievement and the ability to engage real-world challenges, including through nonprofit partnerships, technological innovation, historical interpretation, and research focused on improving human well-being.
For a complete list of ACE Day presentations, visit www.aceday.bushnell.edu.
Ana Augusto, 1st Place Individual Poster Winner
Mira Campanella, 2nd Place Individual Poster Winner
Jermaine Schexnayder, Tie-3rd Place Individual Poster Winner
Jacqueline Ullrich, Tie-3rd Place Individual Poster Winner