CUR Honors 2024 Recipients of the Campus-Wide Award for Undergraduate Research Accomplishments
CUR congratulates its 2024 Campus-Wide Award for Undergraduate Research Accomplishments (AURA) awardees: St. Catherine University (St. Kate’s) (Saint Paul, MN) and West Virginia University (WVU) (Morgantown, WV). This award recognizes institutions with exemplary programs that provide high-quality research experiences for undergraduates. A celebration of these awardees will take place on June 10, virtually.
Now in its tenth year, the AURA award draws on CUR’s Characteristics of Excellence in Undergraduate Research (COEUR), which outlines criteria for exceptional undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activity programs. For AURA recognition, campuses must demonstrate depth and breadth in their undergraduate research initiatives and evidence of continual innovation. Institutions of different Carnegie classifications are considered for the award.
“This year’s recipients exemplify excellence in undergraduate research, showcasing innovative, inclusive, and high-impact programs that empower students and elevate their institutions as leaders in the field,” said Lindsay Currie, CUR’s executive officer. “Their commitment to mentorship, discovery, and scholarly engagement not only strengthens undergraduate research but also prepares the next generation of scholars, innovators, and leaders. Each awardee has built a strong culture into their curriculums that represents the many characteristics showcased through our COEUR. They have invested in their student-faculty recognition, increased engagement and practice, and exemplified steadfast commitment.”
St. Catherine University is a minority-serving institution whose College for Women (CfW) enrolls just under 1500 students who receive an education guided by the mission – to educate women to lead and influence. Access to and participation in undergraduate research has become the embodiment of the mission, culture, and curriculum at St. Kate’s. Approximately 20% of the College for Women students participate in undergraduate research programs, defying both institutional and national enrollment trends. The heart of undergraduate research at St. Kate’s is in their centralized hub, the Office of Scholarly Engagement (OSE). This strategic organization intentionally brings together five of its hallmark departments dedicated to sustained advancement and engagement with high-impact practices. The accessibility of research is a key tenet of St. Kate’s curricular experience. Since 2022, 639 students (44% of whom identify as BIPOC, 50% Pell grant recipients, and 26% first-generation) have participated in courses intentionally designed to involve students in research across the curriculum. One highlighted program is the KARE program, funded by the National Institute on Aging (R25AG060892). Established to train undergraduate students as future Geroscience researchers, KARE heads into its seventh year, having supported 35 students invested in the pursuit of medical + STEM careers. The scope and reach of undergraduate research at St. Catherine University is shown through their unwavering commitment to accessibility, prioritization of equity for both students and its surrounding community, and the dedication they have proclaimed in developing their many courses and programs.
Dr. Denise M. Baird, Provost & Senior Vice President at St. Catherine University, describes, “At St. Catherine University, we strive to deliver educational experiences that help students develop transferable skills and confidence in their ability to succeed in college and beyond. We know the tremendous benefits of participating in mentored, collaborative research for students. The AURA award provides external validation of the commitment and effort that goes into maintaining an outstanding Collaborative Undergraduate Research program at St. Catherine University.”
“At St. Catherine University, our mission is to educate women to lead and influence. Through our Collaborative Research office, we provide early and equitable opportunities for undergraduate students to engage in mentored research and build their identity as scholars and leaders. We are incredibly honored to have this work recognized with the 2024 Award for Undergraduate Research Accomplishments. This award affirms what we see every day in working with our amazing scholars – that undergraduate research is a transformative experience. Our world needs these students as leaders and the new knowledge that they are capable of discovering through their research and creative endeavors.” Dr. Katherine A. Campbell, Director of Collaborative Research, St. Catherine University.
West Virginia University stands out amongst the competition for its strong institutional buy-in and support for undergraduate research—something that can be distinctly challenging at large, land-grant R1 universities. In addition to leading and supporting several outstanding undergraduate research opportunities, the university and undergraduate research program are closely tracking retention improvements and demographic shifts in undergraduate research participation, demonstrating excellent data collection, analysis, and a commitment to assessment and continuous improvement. The Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) at WVU takes the concept of research apprenticeships to a whole new level, not only employing first- and second-year students as research apprentices with federal work-study funds or offering course credit for their work but also ensuring a powerful and meaningful learning experience through accompanying courses, mentor-mentee agreements, and professional development. But data tracking on the success of their programs doesn’t stop there. The Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) program, its five mentoring awards, and its successful work to change tenure and promotion criteria to value undergraduate research, showcases the other avenues in which WVU has challenged itself and placed value on the importance of mentoring, which is the heart of undergraduate research.
“The undergraduate student research experience at WVU is truly unique,” Vice President for Research Fred King said. “From their earliest days on campus, we offer novel experiential learning opportunities and one-on-one mentorships between students and faculty. Along this special journey, students develop a passion for identifying problems and develop confidence in their ability to apply what they have learned to solving those problems.”
“Receiving the Award for Undergraduate Research Accomplishments reaffirms WVU’s commitment to supporting undergraduate research programs, which foster the development of the next generation of leaders in research and innovation,” Cinthia Pacheco, director of the Office of Undergraduate Research, said. “This prestigious recognition will inspire more students and faculty to engage in research experiences, helping the institution fulfill its land-grant mission of driving transformation in the state of West Virginia.”
Please join CUR and the undergraduate research community in continuing to celebrate these prestigious institutions and their achievements on June 10, 2025, from 2:00-3:30 PM ET. You can RSVP at CUR.org/CUREvents.
Founded in 1978, the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) focuses on providing high-quality and collaborative undergraduate research, scholarly, and creative activity. Among the many activities and networking opportunities that CUR provides, the organization also offers support for the professional growth of faculty and administrators through expert-designed institutes, conferences, and a wide-range of volunteer positions. The CUR community, made up of nearly 700 institutions and 13,000 individuals, continues to provide a platform for discussion and other resources related to mentoring, connecting, and creating relationships centered around undergraduate research. CUR’s advocacy efforts are also a large portion of its work as they strive to strengthen support for undergraduate research. Its continued growth in connections with representatives, private foundations, government agencies, and campuses world-wide provides value to its members and gives voice to undergraduate research. CUR is committed to inclusivity and diversity in all of its activities and our community.
CUR focuses on giving a voice to undergraduate research with learning through doing. It provides connections to a multitude of campuses and government agencies, all while promoting networking and professional growth to its community.
Sustained by a legacy of visionary women, St. Catherine University educates women to lead and influence. We are a diverse community of learners dedicated to academic rigor, core Catholic values, and a heartfelt commitment to social justice. St. Kate’s offers degrees at all levels in the humanities, arts, sciences, healthcare, and business fields that engage women in uncovering positive ways of transforming the world. St. Kate’s students learn and discern wisely, and live and lead justly — all to power lives of meaning. Discover more at stkate.edu.
West Virginia University in Morgantown is the flagship institution of West Virginia. We offer groundbreaking research, internationally renowned faculty and endless academic possibilities. Located only 70 miles south of Pittsburgh, WVU was founded in 1867 as a land-grant committed to advancing education, healthcare and prosperity by providing access and opportunity to all. An R1 research institution (the highest research ranking possible), WVU is one of only 187 in the U.S. Areas of research excellence include neuroscience, astrophysics, robotics, energy and forensic science. In 2024, WVU attained a new record of research funding: $275 million, and WVU was ranked in the top 2.5% of 20,966 universities worldwide by the Center for World University Rankings.
