Photo Courtesy Robert Longoria
On Wednesday, the Office of Engaged Scholarship and Learning hosted an online workshop that introduced students to funding opportunities for projects based on community.
Engaged Scholarship and Learning Program Manager Robert Longoria said the workshop was designed as an introduction for undergraduate students who are qualified and interested in looking for real-world experience, one-on-one mentoring and career building.
Longoria said the application process is open to all undergraduates in good academic standing and his office offers support at every step.
He said the Office of Engaged Scholarship and Learning offers awards from $2,000 to $4,000 for research, creative works or community engagement.
Longoria added his office’s goal is to help students turn their passion into action and at the same time addressing local needs ranging from art projects to social initiatives.
“There’s a very underserved population when it comes to connecting students with community engagement opportunities as far as funding is concerned, and we wanted to kind of provide more visibility to the opportunities that are here on campus,” Longoria said
Undergraduate Research Faculty Fellow Steven Foy said projects such as these often help solve real problems in the community and give students valuable longterm learning experiences.
“We’ve done things like look at recycling and how to expand recycling projects around the area,” Foy said. “Looking at, you know, addressing issues of hunger and food insecurity.”
He said the project has seen students work on projects that have fed into the creation of new technology that can benefit the student and surrounding community.
“We had one awardee last year that was working on developing basically a handheld, alert button device that you could use to contact campus security if you felt like there’s an unsafe situation on campus,” Foy said.
Undergraduate Research Faculty Fellow Uma Ganesan said the workshop helps students express their creativity and share the Valley’s culture while also getting them ready for graduate-level research.
Ganesan said it is refreshing to see students present projects that highlight the Valley’s cultural values.
She added these experiences give students opportunities to present their work beyond campus.
“It’s always a stepping stone for them to go to grad school or even higher,” Ganesan said.
Ganesan and Foy shared some words of encouragement for students to take the first step even if they feel unconfident.
“All of us believe and we have very high expectations for all of our students and they are very smart. We just want them to know that they are absolutely amazing. The only thing is they just have to take the first step and then we will guide them,” Ganesan said.
For more information, visit the Office of Engaged Scholarship and Learning’s V Link or email engaged@utrgv.edu.
