Each summer, students at the College of Charleston gain hands-on experience through Summer Undergraduate Research with Faculty (SURF) grants, which pair students with faculty mentors to pursue experiential research that tackles real-world problems. For summer 2023, a total of 22 student projects have received grants of up to $6,500.
“Faculty-student collaboration in a challenging, scholarly project can be the single most transformative experience that a student will have in college,” says Beth Sundstrom, director of the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URCA) Program and associate professor of communication. “In addition to technical skills, students develop professional skills, including problem-solving, communication, teamwork, leadership and creativity. These transferable skills apply to any future educational or career goals.”
And those professional skills give students more leverage after graduation. According to a 2021 survey by the American Association of Colleges and Universities, 41% of employers were much more likely to consider hiring a college graduate who had completed a research project done collaboratively with faculty.
To learn more about SURF-funded research projects from Honors students Harrison Caspino, Francesca Gibson, and Whitney Kitchen, check out the full article in The College Today.
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