If you have a student who is a budding researcher or artist (musician, actor, photographer, etc.) in the making, they can apply for funding from the university to support their efforts.
The Office of Student Research is currently accepting applications for awards of up to $500 per student to help defray the costs of engaging in research or in activities related to a creative field. Students can apply as individuals or in groups of up to three students who are collaborating on a project.
“Undergraduates in every discipline are eligible,” said Dr. Crystal Anderson, director of the Office of Student Research. “So a music major working on a recital who needs to travel to access materials at another institution or to receive instruction in a master class are examples of what could be funded.”
Examples of other eligible expenses are
- Art supplies
- Exhibit supplies
- Performance supplies
- Competition fees
- Conference fees
- Membership fees
- Software services
- Subscription services
- Laboratory supplies
- Travel to academic conferences
There will be two rounds of awards during the spring semester.
Application deadlines
Round 1: Feb. 18 at 5 p.m.
Round 2: March 25 at 5 p.m.
Students can apply for funding during both rounds. Funds must be spent by April 30, 2019.
“The council does look for projects that would best benefit from funding at the time of the request,” Anderson said. “Fully fleshed-out projects have a better chance of getting funded, as the funding process is competitive.”
To apply, students must first complete three online tutorials that help them understand how to successfully complete the application. These tutorials take about five minutes each to complete. The tutorials, the application and the required faculty acknowledgment form—as well as more information about the program—can be found online at http://blogs.longwood.edu/studentresearch/.
The number of students funded each round depends on the number of applications submitted and the strength of the application pool, Anderson said. Last semester, the office received 14 applications and funded nine projects.
So encourage your student to give it a shot if they’re engaged in eligible activities. I always say: “You don’t ask, you don’t get.”
—Sabrina Brown