Welcome to the Office of Undergraduate Research & Fellowships (URAF)! Our staff team is committed to advancing undergraduate student participation in purposeful research and fellowship community experiences.
Mission
Empower and guide undergraduate students in their pursuit of meaningful research experiences and merit fellowship opportunities, fostering a culture of belongingness, academic excellence, experiential learning participation, graduate school preparedness, workforce development, and lifelong learning.
Vision
To be a leading hub for advancing both excellence and equity in research and fellowships participation among undergraduates, producing future leaders and innovators through cultivating a strong sense of belonging, professional readiness, and graduate school preparedness.
Services
Our programs include two funded undergraduate research programs -- the signature Undergraduate Creative Activities & Research Experiences (UCARE) program (est. 1998), and the First Year Research Experience (FYRE) program (est. 2019) -- and comprehensive advising for national and international fellowships applicants. Across these offerings, our staff team provides integrated, holistic, and validating support for student learning and professional development. We promote undergraduate research participation and fellowship experiences to all undergraduate majors, with services available from the first year to graduation.
To foster deep student engagement, we provide funding and infrastructure for the campus’ largest undergraduate research programs. To build strong relationships with students, we connect through events and symposia, Canvas learning modules, classroom visits, and year-round advising (by appointment). To broaden awareness and participation in research and fellowship opportunities, we partner with a variety of programs – including University Career Services, University Honors Program, TRIO/Student Support Services, Ronald E. McNair Scholars, STEM-POWER, and Global Experiences, to name a few. Finally, we provide training resources for faculty and staff who would like to cultivate effective mentoring skills or make accurate referrals of high-achieving students.