By: Fitzroy Harris
Milligan’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) mentored research is officially in progress as 23 students will be conducting research this semester with the mentorship of 15 faculty members in 11 academic disciplines.
Ten sophomores, six juniors, six seniors and one undecided student have registered this spring.
Director of Undergraduate Research Joy Drinnon said “the goal for this first semester was to have 24 credit hours of 499 filled.”
“We exceeded that goal,” Drinnon said. An additional three credit hours was attained totaling 27 with some students having two credits and others having one credit hour.
According to the 499 Policies and Procedures, each 499 course is divided into 499A, 499B and 499C and counts for one credit hour.
499A means students are in the “formative” stage of their research. 499B students are in the “productive” stage of their research and 499C students are in the “closing” stage of their research.
The roles of professors depend on which level of research they are mentoring students, whether 499A, B or C.
There is a total of 16 A’s, four B’s and five C’s.
Psychology major and senior Natalia Rivas, who conducted mentored research before this spring, said, “The course allowed me to work with my mentor in a similar way that graduate programs will expect you to work with a mentor.”
In the formative stage of her research, sophomore and nursing major Debora Cano is optimistic about the course.
“I have faith that this class will be tremendously successful because everyone enrolled is passionate about the topic and the work that needs to be placed behind it,” she said.
Students will attend four conferences to present their research. These include the Stone-Campbell Journal Conference, the ETSU Research Forum and the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR).
Students who desire more information can contact Dr. Joy Drinnon in Hardin 201 for additional updates on the recently formed Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) and other research opportunities and activities.
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