Letter from Nick Smith, Associate Professor of Philosophy
To Inquiry:
Three of my philosophy students received funding through the Undergrad Research Opportunities Program (UROP). Each of them benefited greatly from the experience, and each has gone on to write a senior thesis and attend graduate school.
The application process is quite rigorous, and I find that less than half of the students who at one point express genuine interest in applying actually submit a proposal. In my experience, however, students who take the process seriously, draft and rewrite their proposals, attend the workshops, and generally refine their application have a very good chance of receiving funding. The UROP office reviews these applications very closely, and I have been impressed with the amount of time they take evaluating and commenting on the proposals. I would not recommend submitting a proposal cobbled together at the last minute, no matter how extraordinary the student may be.
Working on these projects was transformative for each student, not only in their intellectual development but also in their self-conception. Thinking about a project of such scope and detail stretches the undergraduate mind, and the prospect of being paid to think about things they are passionate about ignites some students. Having carved out a space to do nothing but research, they gain a sense of what their minds are capable of. Especially at a university such as ours, where so many of our students work at jobs during the academic year, this funding is especially important.
In my cases, I worked with each successful applicant over the summer, meeting on average one hour per week. After a summer of intensive work, we typically find that the ambitions outlined in the spring were too ambitious. I think this is the only way to learn this essential lesson about how long things actually take, even when you're working as hard as you can. The research projects serve as excellent preparation for senior theses, which in turn prepares the students well for the independent work expected in graduate school. Admission committees in graduate and law schools recognize this.
I now routinely discuss these possibilities with my sophomore students so they will have plenty of time to let their ideas stew. There is a buzz in the philosophy department about undergraduate research, and we encourage all our students to apply.
Nick Smith, J.D. and Ph.D
Assistant Professor of Philosophy
