Undergraduate Research Assistants Program (URAP)

URAP: An Unusual Four-Year Research Opportunity

What if there were a program that gave you the opportunity (and $1,000 every semester for all four years) to work with a professor on an exciting research project; meet with other top students and their research mentors six times a year; and create a resume that will truly stand out from the crowd?

There is. It is called the Undergraduate Research Assistants Program (URAP).

As Dr. Jack Steehler , director of URAP and professor of chemistry explains, "Our students follow a research project wherever it leads, which is the way research goes. They get the opportunity to give presentations at professional conferences and contribute to academic publications. They develop close working relationships with their mentors which lead to superb references for graduate schools or positions of employment. Finally, they graduate with what is essentially a master's project under their belts - and a real sense of accomplishment."

While URAP is extraordinary, it is also - fair warning - highly competitive. Roanoke receives many applications each year from incoming high school seniors for eight to ten projects. Here's how the process works: Interested students review the list of possible research projects and rank their preferences; the researchmentors then review the applications and select students to be interviewed; and, finally, a match is made, a match that, again, can last four years .

According to Professor Steehler , professors seek students who are "smart," "enthusiastic" and "focused" to participate in URAP. Do these labels fit you? Are you up for the challenge of graduate-level research?

You must apply during the winter of your senior year of high school.

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