Creating Pathways to Undergraduate Research: Strategies from a Small Liberal Arts College

Kristin Holster and Ron Brown
(Dean College)

The undergraduate research experience is consistently reported as a high impact
educational practice (HIPs) that helps engage students, develop them professionally, and advance their scholarly growth (Kuh, 2008). In particular, undergraduate research provides an opportunity for psychology and social science students to experience a connection between theory and practice, as well as to benefit from a meaning faculty mentoring program. Although there is a significant literature emphasizing the value of undergraduate research (Healey & Jenkins, 2009; Kuh, 2008; Seymour et al., 2004),
this literature rarely explains how this practice can be implemented at smaller institutions with limited resources. Typically, faculty at small teaching colleges are required to teach four to five courses each semester, while at the same time serving on various college committees, advising student organizations, and performing other roles related to their position. However, despite these limitations, Dean College has successfully provided students with opportunities for undergraduate research using faculty-driven mentorship approaches and carefully constructed research experiences that are embedded into courses, taken as internships, and independent study options.

Presenters will discuss various practical methods for involving undergraduates in the research process at a small liberal arts college. The presenters will include both the faculty, student, and administrative perspective to discuss coordinating these experiences balancing the desire to benefit students with faculty needs, compensation and workload.