Converse students have the opportunity to participate in faculty-mentored undergraduate research or a creative independent project. And more than half of them seize the opportunity – completing unique projects that make employers and graduate schools take notice. Working independently or side-by-side with faculty mentors, Converse students have won awards at state, regional, and national conferences.
Converse College has consistently submitted outstanding proposals resulting in significant findings and presentations at SCICU’s annual Research Symposium.
In fact, Converse is a leader in the state in the number of student/faculty research proposals funded by the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (SCICU) consortium. SCICU’s president said: “Since the inception of the SCICU Undergraduate/Faculty Research Grant Program, Converse College has consistently submitted outstanding proposals resulting in significant findings and presentations at SCICU’s annual Research Symposium.”
Unlike at most state schools which only offer this kind of opportunity to graduate students, at Converse you can begin developing projects as an undergraduate, conducting original research, and presenting your findings at conferences, which will give you practical experience in your chosen field. Funding support for these opportunities is available through several sources including competitive grants from the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (SCICU), the National Institute of Health’s IDeA Networks of Biomedical Excellence (NIH-INBRE), and Converse College grants.
Most people change careers as they move through life. Research and independent projects will help you develop a wide range of skills that will serve you no matter where you go, including identifying a problem, coming up with potential solutions, and then testing those ideas by gathering the appropriate information. Successful students—and successful scientists and businesspeople—must be able to present their projects clearly in writing and during verbal presentations. Whether a company is looking for a new employee or a graduate school is considering you for their incoming class, having demonstrated research skills will make you stand out as better prepared to tackle the challenges they will face.
Converse supports the development of student research projects through the Committee on Undergraduate Research. This committee identifies and publicizes research opportunities and helps students and faculty prepare research proposals and grant applications. Learning to do research well is a challenging task and everyone can benefit from feedback during the process. The members of the committee are available to meet individually with researchers and to read drafts of grant proposals and research presentations. One of the most important things you’ll learn during this process is that research is a collaborative process.
