Building a Culture of Undergraduate Research: A Case Study

Engaging students in research has the potential to benefit students, faculty, and institutions. The authors present a case study documenting strategic efforts to advance a culture of undergraduate research at Hunter College, City University of New York. Assembling a team, removing obstacles, increasing awareness and engagement, identifying goals, and celebrating accomplishments of undergraduate researchers are discussed. Preliminary findings, including increased engagement in an annual undergraduate research conference as well as higher graduation rates and grade-point averages for students who participated in research, suggest that these efforts have supported positive outcomes both for the institution and its undergraduates.