Community-Engaged Research Program

• Gain exposure to a wide variety of topics of vital interest to local communities
• Experience research or creative activities through year‐long projects supervised by U-M researchers, local nonprofits or government agencies
• Seminars focused on social justice, research methods and reciprocal partnerships with communities, personal and professional growth
• Become part of a collaborative learning community through which  small teams delve into pertinent CER‐related topics of mutual interest 
• Mentorship from U-M or community research supervisors and UROP staff
• Experience with presenting on research during the Spring Symposium

 

• Work on a research project ranging between 6 to 12 hours each week for the full academic year
• Biweekly interdisciplinary seminars featuring guest speakers, field trips, and discussions
• Explore topics such as research methods, strengths based approaches to community work, systemic racism and unconscious bias, policy and policy development
• Support from a UROP Peer Facilitator for the full academic year who will provide guidance with:
• Applying and interviewing for research projects
• Building a positive working relationship with the research mentor and the community
• Learning research skills and approaches that respects and values the expertise of the community
• Connecting students with resources and opportunities at U-M
• Fostering a learning community of students with diverse backgrounds who share a strong interest in advancing social justice 
• Present on research project through the Annual Spring Research Symposium.

The Community-Engaged Research Program is open to undergraduates from all  schools and disciplines who are interested in communities, research and social justice, and who may possibly be considering  careers in the academic, nonprofit and public service sectors.  

Priority is given to first year and second year students, but students with higher academic standing seeking a first time experience with community-engaged research and for whom the social justice focus of the seminars would be particularly meaningful are also welcome to apply.

Students can either earn 2-4 academic credit hours per term or work-study financial compensation and 1 academic credit hour per term:

Academic Credit: Students can earn 2-4 academic credits per term, based on the level of research required.  Students will register by permission for UROP credit upon being hired for a research project.

Work-Study: Students who qualify for financial aid can earn work-study wages if that is a component of their financial aid package. Students with financial need, but who do not have work-study as part of their financial aid package, can apply for a grant upon admission to the program (more details will be provided upon admission).