Office of Undergraduate Research Unveils Public Research & Civic Endeavors Scholarship

The Office of Undergraduate Research is on a mission to get more students involved in applied research projects which have a significant, positive benefit on the community. This mission inspired the Public Research & Civic Endeavors Scholarship, a new research award competition created by the Office and announced to UVM students in March.

The inspiration for the new scholarships was simple: To advance in public service, the non-profit sector, or arts careers students need to pursue internships or community-based projects, showing personal initiative and leadership skills. UVM students who aspire to these careers do not have nearly as many opportunities to pursue their research or creative projects as students in more collaborative enterprises. In order for undergraduates in all disciplines, but especially the humanities, arts, social sciences, and professional programs to acquire the necessary academic research and professional development experiences that will make them competitive candidates for graduate programs, professional opportunities and national/international fellowships it is usually necessary for these students to find their own means to participate. In the past this has meant that sometimes students with great ideas and great potential cannot take the first step on the path towards significant accomplishments that can lead to greater personal and professional achievement.

To rectify this problem, the Office of Undergraduate Research, in cooperation with the Office of Fellowships Advising, developed the Public Research and Civic Endeavors Scholarship, a $4,000 award directed to research and creative projects cast with an eye toward applied projects. These applied projects are student initiated projects based on community-defined challenges, or internships that are an extension of prior academic and/or extra-curricular activities. This scholarship provides up to $4,000 directly to students who are under faculty tutelage to cover costs incurred in participating in unpaid (or low-paid) research internships, creating unique community-based endeavors, or otherwise applying their academic knowledge to real-world situations.

The Public Research & Civic Endeavors Scholarship is open to any full-time undergraduate student. The application requires a proposal, personal statement, two letters (one of affiliation with the interning body or community partner, the other from a faculty mentor), a budget justification, and an unofficial transcript. The requirements and the application itself are available through Office of Undergraduate Research website.

Due date: April 15, 2011 at noon. Winners will be announced on April 26 at the Student Research Conference in the Davis Center.

For more information, visit the Office of Undergraduate Research website.

Last modified March 31 2011 02:00 PM