“What can student-faculty collaborations do for me?” – a mash-up event conducted jointly by the Office of Student Creativity and Research (OSCAR) and the Professional Development Center – will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 26, from 12:30 to 2 p.m. on the main floor of Reed Library.
The mash-up is free and open to students and faculty. Students and faculty should register online to reserve a spot
Attendees will be able to learn about the benefits of undergraduate research and mentoring from experienced student researchers and faculty mentors, as well as explore ideas for their own creative activity and research projects.
The event will begin with separate presentations to meet the distinct needs of the two groups: faculty mentors and students. Then the two groups will join for refreshments and an informal creative-brainstorming and problem-solving session during which students and faculty will work together to practice the curiosity and imagination required for successful collaborations and connections.
During the event, students and faculty will make connections across the university and across disciplines.
Faculty/student mentoring via collaborative creative activity and research can be especially impactful for underrepresented and first-generation students: collaborations with a faculty mentor contribute positively to the self-efficacy and career ambitions of underrepresented students in STEM and other fields.
Organizers note that students who participate in student/faculty collaborations via creative activity and research report increases in academic success, levels of satisfaction and feelings of belonging within the university and within their future profession. They're also more likely to pursue graduate and other professional degrees after graduation and to experience professional and personal success immediately and in their future endeavors.
