One of Southwestern’s most exhilarating events is the annual Research and Creative Works Symposium (RCWS). Inaugurated in 1999, the symposium showcases undergraduate research, innovation, and imagination, with students presenting posters, talks, art exhibits, performances, and panel discussions. Each presenter develops critical thinking, communication, leadership, and project management skills while preparing for the RCWS. Hosted across campus during a daylong celebration, the symposium’s grand display of various intellectual interests, expertise, and in- and out-of-classroom experiences encapsulates the spirit of a liberal arts education.

Individuals can submit presentation proposals for the following:

• Poster Presentations provide an opportunity to display your research. They often combine visual and textual content, such as tables, graphs, images, and citations.
• Oral Presentations allow students to share their research in a classroom presentation. 
• Creative Works Exhibitions showcase all forms of visual art, including original painting, sculpture, photography, prints, textile arts, drawings, pottery, metal, etc.
• Creative and Scientific Process Exhibitions provides students from any discipline the opportunity to showcase a project’s creative and scientific process beginning with the creative idea and/or scientific question. This exhibition does not require that a project be completed before the exhibition. Students create a physical representation or poster presentation highlighting their individual or group process as well their reflections on the process itself.
• Performances showcase live performances of all types, including literary readings, theatre, music, or dance. 
• Panels include a group of three to five individuals (including a moderator) who will discuss a given topic and will be allocated 50 minutes.