Fostering professional development through undergraduate research: supporting faculty mentors and student researchers

ABSTRACT

The study presented in this manuscript features data-informed UR programmatic revisions aimed at improving the student researcher and faculty mentor experience at Albion College. Previous research findings in which we studied the Student Research Partners (SRP) program at Albion College revealed that SRP was not serving as a research pipeline to the extent intended. Drawing on a decade of programmatic data along with recently collected survey data from faculty mentors and student researchers who participated in the SRP program informed the development of more robust professional development and mentoring support. This institutional case study serves as a model to others seeking to assess their UR pipeline, associated mentoring practices, and the role of professional development in supporting student and faculty learning.

KEYWORDS:

• Undergraduate research
• mentoring
• professional development
• case study

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Vicki L Baker

Vicki L. Baker is the E. Maynard Aris Endowed Professor in Economics and Management at Albion College. She currently serves as the Director of the Albion College Community Collaborative (AC3).

Vanessa McCaffrey

Vanessa McCaffrey is a Professor of Chemistry at Albion College and the Director of the Foundation for Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity (FURSCA).

Caroline E. N. Manning

Caroline Manning is a PhD Student in Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Pennsylvania State University.