Undergraduate Research Community

About URC

2007 Undergraduate Research Presentation Awards
Sponsored by the Council of Administrators of Family and Consumer Sciences
Mary Ellen Herndon - Baylor University
Ayisha Thompson - University of Maryland-Eastern Shore

2007 Emerging Scholars Awards
Sponsored by Kappa Omicron Nu
Jessica Erin Davis - Auburn University - Human Science Award
Amy Hendricks - Michigan State University - Global Research Award
Sarah Maurer - Eastern Illinois University - Social Justice Award

2005 Undergraduate Research Presentation Awards
Sponsored by the Council of Administrators of Family and Consumer Sciences
Christine M. Clark - East Carolina University
Dixie McGary & Anita G. Coleman - Northwest Missouri State University

2003 Undergraduate Research Presentation Awards
Sponsored by the Council of Administrators of Family and Consumer Sciences
Caren Rojas - Michigan State University
Anita C. Nash - Texas Tech University

 NEW CONFERENCE ANNOUNCED

 Undergraduate Research Journal for the Human Sciences

 Volume 1 - 2002

Volume 2 - 2003

Volume 3 - 2004

Volume 4 - 2005

Volume 5 - 2006

Volume 6 - 2007

Volume 7 - 2008

Model Web Site for Participating Institutions
(Texas Tech University)

Calls for Papers/Proposals/Posters

Testimony

  • Carol E. Kellett, PhD, Former Dean, College of Human Ecology, Kansas State University

    The undergraduate research initiative exemplifies my philosophy of empowered leadership. The College of Human Ecology at Kansas State University was one of the first to participate in the undergraduate research initiative. Not only does the experience of conducting, presenting, and publishing research support the professional development of undergraduate students, it also empowers faculty mentors to gain leadership skills. For example, one of the students at K-State conducted a study that was presented at the KON Conclave, which the faculty member also attended. The undergraduate research study contributed to the student’s decision to pursue a master’s degree – and the faculty mentor served as the chair of the graduate program committee for the student. The master’s level research was published in the professional journal of the discipline, and won the national award for best graduate research paper that year! The student recently began a doctoral program at another university, and aspires to become a professor. 

2003 URC Undergraduate Research Conference

2005 URC Undergraduate Research Conference

See also:

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Institutional Partners:

Michigan State University: Julia Miller, Won Song
Kansas State University: Virginia Moxley
University of Maryland—Eastern Shore: Shirley Hymon-Parker
Kappa Omicron Nu Honor Society: Dorothy Mitstifer

Undergraduate Research Community for the Human Sciences (URC)

This project will create a framework and community to augment the scholarship of learning and teaching in preparing students for graduate education, the workplace, and responsible citizenship. It will serve as a catalyst for increasing the experiential content of undergraduate education in the human sciences. In other words, this project develops a model to advance both undergraduate student development and a national undergraduate research agenda for the human sciences.

The mission of the Undergraduate Research Community (URC) is a dynamic and pervasive culture of the human sciences for developing the next generation of scholars.

In pursuit of this mission, URC will:

  1. Assess undergraduate research models.
  2. Identify priority issues for undergraduate research.
  3. Create a national undergraduate research conference for the human sciences.
  4. Sponsor a peer-reviewed electronic publication for undergraduate research.
  5. Establish an electronically connected multi-campus community of undergraduate researchers.
  6. Foster integrative, cross-specialization undergraduate research and service learning research projects in addition to traditional research in the specializations.

Vision: In five years

  1. The opportunity to engage in undergraduate research is the norm in human sciences units.
  2. Candidates for graduate school are positioned to engage in research.
  3. The Participating Institutions have each built their undergraduate research programs to a higher level.
  4. The electronic journal selects the best of undergraduate research once a year.
  5. The URC Conference rivals other professional meetings for quality.
  6. This initiative has stimulated the total research output and makes a measurable contribution to research.

This initiative is sponsored by the Kappa Omicron Nu Leadership Academy in partnership with the Board on Human Sciences, the Council of Administrators of Family and Consumer Sciences, the Higher Education Unit of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, and the 1890 Council of Administrators. The human ecology programs at Michigan State University, Kansas State University, and University of Maryland-Eastern Shore are Institutional Founders and members of the planning team.

Criteria for institutions to qualify as Participating Institutions follow:

  1. The unit has an ongoing undergraduate research program or is interested in developing one.
  2. The unit will develop a comprehensive plan for faculty development in mentoring undergraduate research.
  3. The unit will commit a faculty mentor(s) to a planning conference and share planning tasks, with authorization to make decisions on behalf of the unit.
  4. The unit will commit (or reallocate) resources to support students and faculty for the planning conference, the research conference, and the ongoing Undergraduate Research Community and assessment program.

The First URC Planning Conference was held in Chicago, Illinois, January 15-16, 2001.

The first URC Research Conference was held in conjunction with the Kappa Omicron Nu Leadership Conclave at the Grosvenor Resort, Orlando, Florida, August 2-5, 2001. The deadline for submission of undergraduate research papers is June 1 each year.

Institutions may apply for participation in the URC at the beginning of each academic year. The second URC Conference will be held August 7-10, 2003 in conjunction with the Kappa Omicron Nu Conclave.

INVITATION

Human sciences units are hereby invited to apply for status as a Participating Institution of the Undergraduate Research Community for the Human Sciences. Affiliation offers institutions the opportunity to participate in the development of the national structure for building a cadre of undergraduate researchers that will bring credibility to the profession and among the disciplines.

To affiliate with the URC, each unit shall submit a one- or two-page letter of commitment that responds to the criteria for institutions to qualify as a Participating Institution and includes the following:

  • Name of Coordinator, including address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address.
  • Sign-off by the Dean and the Provost
  • Brief description of present vision and unit plan for implementation of undergraduate research program.

See Sample Letter of Commitment.

OFFICIAL URC CONTACT:

Undergraduate Research Community for the Human Sciences
Dorothy I. Mitstifer, Ph.D.
4990 Northwind Drive, Suite 140
East Lansing, MI 48823-5031
T - 517.351.8335
F - 517.351.8336
E-mail: dmitstifer@kon.org

SPONSOR:

Kappa Omicron Nu Leadership Academy

PARTNERS:

  • Board on Human Sciences, National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges
  • Council of Administrators of Family and Consumer Sciences
  • Higher Education Unit, American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences
  • 1890 Council of Administrators
  • Advisory Committee
  • Julia R. Miller, Michigan State University
  • Virginia M. Moxley, Kansas State University
  • Shirley Hymon-Parker, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore
  • Dorothy I. Mitstifer, Kappa Omicron Nu
  • Nancy Belck, University of Nebraska-Omaha
  • Judith L. Kuipers, Fielding Institute
  • Ronald Dotterer, NCUR
  • Jean M. Henscheid, The National Resource Center for the First Year Experience & Students in Transition
  • K. Elaine Hoagland, Council on Undergraduate Research
  • Richard Lerner, Tufts University
  • Peggy S. Meszaros, Virginia Tech
  • Graham B. Spanier, President, Penn State University
  • Dolores R. Spikes, President, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore
  • Gladys Gary Vaughn, F4HN, CSREES, USDA
  • Shirley Watkins, Under Secretary, FNCS, USDA

Institutional Founders:

  • Human Ecology, Michigan State University
  • Human Ecology, Kansas State University
  • Human Ecology, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore

Participating Institutions:

  • University of Arizona, Family & Consumer Sciences
  • Ashland University, Family & Consumer Sciences
  • Ball State University, Family & Consumer Sciences
  • Bradley University, Family & Consumer Sciences
  • Brigham Young University, Family Life
  • California State, Fullerton, Kinesiology & Health Science
  • Connecticut, University of, Dietetics Program, Allied Health
  • East Carolina University, Human Environmental Sciences
  • Florida State University, Human Sciences
  • Georgia, University of, Family & Consumer Sciences
  • Iowa State, Family & Consumer Sciences
  • Kentucky, University of, Human Environmental Sciences
  • Memphis, University of, Consumer Science & Education
  • Nebraska-Lincoln, University of, Human Resources & Family Sciences
  • North Carolina, Greensboro, University of, Human Environmental Sciences
  • North Dakota State, Human Development/Education
  • Northern Illinois University, Family/Consumer/Nutrition
  • Northwest Missouri State, Family & Consumer Sciences
  • Ohio State University, Human Ecology
  • Oklahoma State, Human Environmental Sciences
  • Penn State, Health and Human Development
  • Tennessee Technological University, Human Ecology
  • Texas A&M-Kingsville, Human Sciences
  • Texas Tech, Human Sciences
  • Utah State University, College of Family Life
  • Virginia Tech, Liberal Arts & Human Sciences
  • Washington State, Human Sciences
  • West Virginia University, Family & Consumer Sciences

URC RESOURCES:

Research Journal: Vol. 1 Vol. 2 Vol. 3 Vol. 4 Vol. 5 Vol. 6 Vol. 7 ¦ Call for Papers 1 ¦ Call for Papers 2 ¦ Inventory ¦ News
Planning Conference ¦ Priorities ¦ Faculty Development ¦ Priority Issues ¦ Institutional Plan ¦ URC Home

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