Creative Activity and Research Day (CARD)
CARD 2026
Save the Date!
Friday, May 8th: CARD 2026 in Fromm Complex (10 AM - 4 PM)
More information to come in Spring 2026!
Each spring, the College of Arts and Sciences hosts the annual Creative Activity and Research Day (CARD). Typically, research that makes an original intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline is conducted by an undergraduate or graduate student in collaboration with a faculty mentor. Students showcase the results of their work through oral presentations, poster presentations, and various creative performances and displays. Please join us this semester to celebrate all that our students have accomplished.
Students can choose one of the following project types to submit:
- Oral presentations are 10-minute Powerpoint presentations given in a classroom space with access to a projector, screen, and voice amplification. A Q&A section will follow the presentation.
- Poster presentations are displays of research posters, and students are stationed by their posters to present to those in attendance.
- Creative activities are displays or performances that demonstrate student research/activities, but not by giving an oral presentation or displaying a poster. Past examples have included dance performances, spoken word, and using chemistry to make ice cream.
An abstract is a short summary (100 - 300 words) or description of scholarly or creative work that conveys the purpose, significance, and outcomes of your work. A well-written abstract should contain the following components:
- An introduction that outlines the motivation or rationale for the project, the central question you are trying to answer, or the problem you are trying to address.
- A summary of the methods you used in the project
- Your main findings or results and their significance
- A conclusion
- You can certainly print out your poster on your own time using an outside vendor. However, you will be responsible for all costs incurred and for bringing it to Fromm Complex on the day of CARD.
- If you would like USF to print your poster for you, please see the following guidelines.
General Printing Guidelines and Information
- Please check your spelling and grammar; the CARD Team will not able to print a corrected version of your poster if you turn in a file with mistakes. You may wish to have someone else proofread your poster before submitting it.
- Please use the following format to name your file: LastName_FirstName_AbbreviatedPosterTitle
- Submit your poster in PDF format. At least one dimension of your poster should be sized at 36 inches – the typical poster size is 36”x48”. We will not be able to print posters that do not have at least one side set to 36 inches.
- Please be mindful of your use of color and avoid colored backgrounds, large blocks of color, or overly large photographs. We have many posters to print and need to conserve ink to make sure all students are able to have their posters printed.
- There is no template for posters – you may design them using Powerpoint, Google Slides, Canva, etc. You may reach out to your department for a poster template if you wish.
Rule of thumb: If you want USF to print your poster, submit early! If there is a problem with your file, we will be able to more easily troubleshoot with you than if you submit at the last minute. If your dimensions are incorrect, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to troubleshoot and you may be asked to print your poster yourself.
The CARD Team will email final decisions in early April. Once your application has been accepted, the presentation submission form will be shared with you.
