EARLY EXPOSURE TO UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH: COMMUNITY COLLEGES BUILDING SKILLS AND INCREASING INTEREST IN STEM

For the past two years, the Council on Undergraduate Research has been engaged in a grant to Tap The Potential of All Students by inviting community college faculty and administrators to a workshop series for building and sustaining a culture of research in the first and second year of the college experience. After twelve workshops throughout the United States, with approximately 100 community college campuses participating, many examples of successful ways to incorporate undergraduate research (UGR) into freshman and sophomore classes have been demonstrated. However, there are also challenges for two-year colleges attempting to implement an UGR culture. Because UGR is such a high-impact practice, there are many reasons why community colleges should seek to engage students as early as possible in an UGR experience. Administrative goals such as retention, completion, and student outcomes are all addressed through undergraduate research. Additionally, UGR is stimulating and interesting to both students and faculty. This presentation will explore the national landscape of UGR at community colleges from the perspective of two-year college faculty and administrators. Examples of successful strategies for implementation of UGR in a classroom setting, in a program or department, or as a summer experience will be shared. Finally, some challenges for implementation of UGR experiences specifically at community college campuses will be discussed.