The Cisneros Undergraduate Research Fellowship was created to financially support outstanding undergraduate students interested conducting research on an issue facing Latinos/Hispanics or the Latino/Hispanic Community. This fellowship is a competitive program that provides undergraduate students with stipends to effectively carry out an individual research project under the supervision of a faculty mentor. Students are offered the opportunity to employ the skills learned in their field of study to bring to fruition a well-defined research project that addresses a particular issue of relevance to Hispanics/Latinos. Basic research, research-driven community action, evaluation, and intervention projects will be considered for this fellowship.
Research experiences of this nature expose students to some of the challenges of conducting research and provide insight on the depth of students' education. These experiences also strengthen students’ applications for nationally competitive fellowships to graduate and professional school. Engaging in first-hand research also helps students develop the necessary skills to succeed in a professional career.
All research projects must be undertaken with regular input and direction from the faculty mentor. It is expected that the student and mentor will discuss their expectations regarding the time commitments of both parties, scope of research, and anticipated results (e.g., papers, presentations, performances, etc.) and arrive at a mutually agreeable understanding.