Southeastern hosts advanced academic symposium for IB students
Monday, June 12, 2017 
by: Rene Abadie
RESEARCH RESULTS EXPLAINED -- Ella McCalip, right, a junior at University High School in Baton Rouge, is questioned about the results of her research project, “How Music Affects People,” by Southeastern IB Coordinator Cherissa Vitter at the Symposium for Advanced Academics held last week on the Southeastern campus. High school students from advanced studies programs around the state participated in the three-day program.
HAMMOND -- More than 20 students attending International Baccalaureate high schools
throughout the state were selected to participate in “Academic Celebration: A Symposium
for Advanced Academics” held recently on the Southeastern campus.
The three-day, two-night symposium was the first such function held in the Gulf
South region and focused on equipping students entering their junior year to successfully
navigate taking multiple advanced academic courses that count for college credit.
“The symposium prepared rising juniors in high school for advanced studies, such
as those offered through the IB Program,” explained program director Cherissa Vitter,
who coordinates Southeastern’s program designed to prepare IB teachers. The Southeastern
program, based in the Department of Teaching and Learning, is the only such program
in the Gulf South.
Students participating in the program were accepted after a rigorous application
process, Vitter explained.
Participating in the program was Heather Michael, a doctoral candidate at Columbia
University, who wrote the curriculum for the symposium and spoke at the event.
At the conclusion of the academic symposium, students presented summaries of
their research in poster board presentations to Southeastern faculty, sponsors and
family members.
