Research and Innovation

Undergraduate Research, Innovation, and Creative Scholars

Are you ready to extend your education beyond the classroom?

For the summer of 2025, the Undergraduate Research, Innovation, and Creative Scholars (URICS) program will be returning and accepting 10 students. URICS program launched in Summer 2024 as a pilot initiative to expand hands-on research and scholarship opportunities for students within their disciplines. Available to students across all seven academic colleges at WMU, the program provides funding for a student and faculty mentor to pursue projects/research of their own design or assist with ongoing projects/research for approximately 15 weeks during Summer I & II. At the end of the program, students present their work at an open reception.

URICS mission is to empower students through experiential learning experience and prepare them for success. This is your chance to work on research, projects, and creative scholarship, collaborate with faculty mentors, and get hands-on experience that will make you stand out in your academic and career journey.

Office of Research and Innovation
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5456 USA
(269) 387-8298

1. Must be a currently enrolled in Spring semester and not graduate in May.

2. Student at any level (freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior) are welcome to apply.

3. Open to students from all academic discipline and no prior research experience required!

4. Must be in good academic standing.

5. Must be available to attend mandatory in-person workshops and check-in meetings in Kalamazoo throughout the summer.

1. Receive $2,500 total, paid biweekly, for 10 hours of work per week. ($15 per hour).

2. $500 supplies budget.

3. Put your studies to practice by working directly with a WMU professor.

4. Network with a small community of undergraduate students engaged in research and scholarship from disciplines across the university.

5. Attend workshops to develop research and creative scholarship skills, self-confidence, and communication.

6. Enhance your resume and graduate school applications.

7. Open to domestic and international students!

This is the initial program structure for summer I and II 2025 proposed and is subject to change. Some of the workshops can be done virtually.

Summer I:

  • Thursday, May 8: Orientation Day & Check-in (Mandatory)
  • Thursday, May 22: Workshop 1: Introduction to Research Methods
  • Thursday, June 5: Workshop 2: Successfully Manage Your Project and Data Management
  • Thursday, June 19: Workshop 3: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
 

Summer II:

  • Thursday, July 17: Workshop 4: Telling a Visual Story
  • Thursday, July 31: Final Research Check-in & Preparation
  • Thursday, August 14: Reception Day (Mandatory)
Click here to apply

Apply by April 1st 2025. Application requires:

  1. Resume
  2. Unofficial Transcript
  3. Short proposal (maximum 500 words) outlining your research/project and interest in participating in the URICS program. Your proposal should include:
    1. Overview
    2. Purpose
    3. Methodology, if applicable.
    4. Plan for completing the research/project, including a tentative schedule
  4. Other summer commitments (e.g. class schedule, job, significant travel plans, etc.)