Learning by doing

By Frances Dumenci

Learning by doing is a proven method of enhancing the educational experience. Undergraduate students at Virginia Commonwealth University have the opportunity to become involved in the creation of new knowledge through the community-engaged research fellowship awards program.

For the summer of 2014, the Division of Community Engagement and the Center for Clinical and Translational Research will fund three undergraduate fellowship awards for research projects mentored by VCU faculty and carried out in collaboration with community partners.

“Successful proposals must discuss how the project will increase the student researcher’s knowledge, skills and experience through a mutually beneficial partnership in the community,” said Valerie Holton, Ph.D., director of community-engaged research in the VCU Division of Community Engagement. “This is an exciting opportunity for undergraduate students to gain experience not only working on research projects but to work with community partners as well.”

Students will learn firsthand how to conduct research working in collaboration with community members and/or agencies and to come away with tangible outcomes, such as research abstracts, conference presentations and manuscripts grounded in real-world experience.

VCU is a national leader in community-engaged research. The university has a robust and rigorous community-engaged research portfolio that includes 250 active projects and more than 1,000 community partnerships.

“Community-engaged research is about building authentic partnerships between researchers and the community,” said John Clore, M.D., director of the Center for Clinical and Translational Research. “This fellowship opportunity will show undergraduate researchers how to foster and enhance community-academic partnerships. At least one of the fellowships will be awarded to a project that focuses on the advancement of human health, the ultimate goal of translational research.”

Applications for the summer fellowship program are due in March. For more information about the program, visit http://www.research.vcu.edu/vpr/ugresources/ce_cctr_fellowship.htm.

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