Student Information

There are numerous benefits associated with involvement in research in general. For example, students who participate in research have been shown to have the following:

• Improved written and oral communication skills
• Critical thinking
• Problem solving
• Acquiring information independently
• Analyzing literature critically
• Developing intellectual curiosity
• Academic and professional socialization
• Having better credentials for grad school/careers
• Success in graduate school

There is also research on the benefits of VIP participation in general (a compendium of publications about VIP). For example, VIP provides a way for students to participate in large-scale research projects for several semesters. Students who participate for longer periods of time are likely to see improved gains in all of the above areas as they gain expertise in the research experience. In addition, because VIP is a team-based research experience, students will learn more about how to effectively work in teams. And students will get to know their faculty mentor and other project leaders, who ideally can write letters of recommendations for graduate school and jobs later on. 

Yes! We encourage students to be on any team that interests them. Please consult with your academic advisor about how the course will fit into your major.

Tasks vary depending on a lot of factors, such as what discipline the project is in, what level you are, what stage the project is in, etc. All students will present their research at the Symposium of Student Scholars and will write a reflection about their experience. Other tasks will be decided on in consultation with the Primary Investigator and other team members.

The Symposium of Student Scholars is a requirement; we are encouraging the VIP teams to share their research with the greater KSU community so that we may be informed of the great work that is being done and to possibly recruit other students. However, other dissemination activities are also encouraged but will be decided in consultation between the PI and team. External dissemination cannot substitute your team’s presence at KSU’s Symposium, but it can supplement the accomplishments of your team. 

The VIP program supports the mission to increase student participation in engaged learning opportunities, including undergraduate research. In order for undergraduate research courses to count towards this initiative, they must meet several criteria, including having a public presentation or publication of the research and having a reflection at the end of the semester. 

There are benefits to these criteria. For example, research has shown that public dissemination of work encourages students to work harder, and the practice helps them improve their communication skills. 

All students will enroll in RES 4000/RES 7000 as part of the VIP experience, for a variable number of credits depending on the workload.

The VIP Consortium discourages “volunteers," requiring that students earn academic credit and a grade as part of their in-person participation in VIP. 

We encourage PIs to ensure that any KSU students that join mid-term submit an official application and are registered for the RES course for the next available semester; they must enroll in RES4000 or RES7000 each semester. They will not retroactively receive academic credit for research done as a volunteer, only as an officially enrolled student.

Students in their first semester of a VIP project will be oriented to the topic and the project. You can likely expect to read journal articles on the topic, engage in safety training or human subjects ethics training (if applicable), and learn how to use equipment or design studies. Once you've gotten more familiar with the project and the topic, you will do more advanced work. Students who have been on a VIP team for a few semesters may be asked to take on leadership roles, helping to mentor newer students on the project. Students who have been on a VIP team for multiple years may be doing very independent work that can become a capstone project or senior thesis.

All students will enroll in a course each semester that they participate in a project. The Primary Investigator (PI) of each team will create a syllabus for their section of RES 4000 or RES 7000, which will explain the grading requirements. Students may be graded on the quality of their work on the project, their performance on a team, their attendance/participation in team meetings, and possible outputs such as a final poster, oral presentation, and/or paper (note that this list is not exhaustive; please consult the PI for more information).

Descriptions of each project are located on the teams page. If you have questions, contact the Primary Investigator (PI) on the project you wish to join to learn more about the project and you should complete the application form. 

Once you are selected to join a particular project, you will be enrolled in RES 4000 or RES 7000, which is the KSU course designated for VIP academic credit. Talk to the PI of the project regarding how many credits this course will be. 

The VIP program is open to all students of all majors at all levels. You can join teams that are in your major or outside of your major, although we advise you to consult with your academic advisor regarding how VIP credit can fit into your degree program. 

Some of the project descriptions may target students in particular majors, but if you're interested in joining a project and your major isn't listed, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Primary Investigator (PI) to see if you might be a good fit. Often, students' backgrounds, interests, and enthusiasm may make them a good fit even if their major is not listed.

We are so glad you are interested in joining a VIP team!

The application is available on InfoReady, along with other applications for the Office of Undergraduate Research's programs. The application closes in occurence with the first day of classes. The Office of the Registrar maintains those dates for each semester on the academic calendar.

The student application for the VIP Program is now open. Click the button to apply below. The application closes on Monday, August 18th at 11:59pm.

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