BYU students explore faith through research, art at annual symposium

Students gathered at the Wilkinson Student Center and Museum of Art to compete in the BYU Religious Education Student Symposium and Visualizing Learning Art Exhibit on Friday, Feb. 13.

The contest had two categories: a symposium where select students share research papers and an art exhibit with prize-winning student projects from classes taught by Brigham Young University religion professors.

Symposium contestants presented their research papers at the WSC. Their topics included interfaith connection, specific scriptural allegories and analysis of prominent figures throughout Church history.

Asha Lambson is a first-generation college student and a junior studying English. Her paper, based on a spiritual experience while on a study abroad in London, won the Center for Interfaith Engagement award. She received $1,000 for her work.

"I'm excited to have these opportunities because I think it means a lot for me, but also for my future, my family," Lambson said. "The people who come after me will be able to have these experiences (to) build off of, and it's building a community and a culture of education in my family that, I think, is really important."

For the art portion of the contest, entries included oil paintings, digital art, torn paper, wood or ceramic sculptures and a crochet tapestry.

Ashley Call, a senior Wildlife and Wildlands Conservation student, won first place and $1,000 for her piece "Gold Finches of Calvary

Her painting offered a new take on the typical crown of thorns placed on Christ's head before His crucifixion in scripture.

Call chose to paint the thorns as Assyrian thistles, the seeds of which few animals can access because of the pain the thistles cause. She learned that European goldfinches are capable of acquiring the seeds when few other animals can.

She compared the finches' ability to reach beyond pain and find a reward to the Savior's Atonement.

Call says that this painting allowed her to combine her passions for nature and art while developing a more personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

"I was able to just get kind of very up close and personal with Jesus Christ," Call said.

Professors expressed appreciation at being able to work with students and see their talents on display.

"I feel proud," Krystal Pierce, chair of the Visualizing Learning Art exhibit and professor at BYU, said. "I'm very proud, even though I have little to do with it and especially this year, where we're actually in the museum, and the display's in its own gallery."

Mary Jane Searle, chair of the student symposium and a professor at BYU, commended the students on their work during an awards luncheon.

"I've never seen such amazing scholarship from students before," Searle said.

The symposium papers will be published in a journal by the College of Religious Education. The art entries will be displayed in the Joseph Smith Building lobby for the next year.