Student Opportunities for Academic Research

The VCSU SOAR logo with text and a small cardinal and grey viking ship

Mission

The VCSU Student Opportunities for Academic Research Program (SOAR) will provide opportunities for innovative collaboration with faculty and staff in ethical research, scholarship, and creative activities that prepare undergraduate students to be lifelong learners in their professions and communities.

Vision

The VCSU SOAR program will facilitate and showcase innovative undergraduate student research, scholarship, and creative activities that promote lifelong learning through advanced research and ethical service.

SOAR is a student-focused, high-impact learning program at Valley City State University.

Outline of the Process

The Student Opportunities for Academic Research program supports faculty-mentored research, artistry, and creativity projects for undergraduates at VCSU.

Students interested in pursuing mentored research or artistry should consult with a prospective faculty member on the project idea, then work together on the development of a short proposal that communicates the essence and scope of the intended work, and submit that proposal through the VCSU HR jobs website by application deadline in November or April. The Advisory Committee will review the proposal and respond with feedback, regardless of whether the applicant is awarded a grant. Awardees may begin work on their project the subsequent semester.

Application cycle deadlines

First Monday of November (fall, for projects that begin in the spring); first Monday of April (spring, for projects that begin in the summer or fall).

For the 2024-2025 school year, the application deadlines are November 4th and April 7th.

Committee Members

The chair of the SOAR Advisory Committee is Travis Knapp (travis.knapp.1@vcsu.edu)

Michelle Abshire (Science; michelle.abshire@vcsu.edu)
Gratia Brown (Art; gratia.brown@vcsu.edu)
David DeMuth (Science; david.demuth@vcsu.edu)
Yang Du (Computer Systems and Software Engineering; yang.du@vcsu.edu)
Emily Fenster (Sociology/Social Science; emily.fenster@vcsu.edu)
Alexander Jorgensen (Political Science/Social Science; alex.b.jorgensen@vcsu.edu)
Wesam Helmi (Business; wesam.helmi@vcsu.edu)
Steven King (History/Social Science; steven.king@vcsu.edu)
Travis Knapp (Language and Literature, Linguistics; travis.knapp.1@vcsu.edu)
Lindsey Leker (Psychology/Social Science, lindsey.leker@ndus.edu)
Susan Pfeifer (Computer Systems and Software Engineering; susan.pfeifer@vcsu.edu)
Jenni Russi (Communications; jennilou.russi@vcsu.edu)
Hilde van Gijssel (Science; hilde.vangijssel@vcsu.edu)
Emily Wicktor (Language and Literature; emily.wicktor@vcsu.edu)
Casey Williams (Fisheries and Wildlife Science; casey.williams@vcsu.edu)

Link to the application

Information about Past Projects (coming soon!)