Dr. Bethany Usher, Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, has been elected to serve as president of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR). Usher will become president-elect on July 1, 2022, taking a seat on CUR’s Executive Board, and succeeding 2022-2023 CUR president Ruth Palmer (emeritus College of New Jersey) in the summer of 2023.
Mark R. Ginsberg, George Mason’s Provost and Executive President, remarked that Dr. Usher, a respected member of the university’s faculty and leadership team, “…has led the undergraduate program to new heights. She has led multiple initiatives that have been catalysts for the success of our students while also launching new programs focused on academic achievement, career development, and life success. She has an extraordinary ability to connect with and mentor students while also supporting faculty members. I am very proud of her to be elected as President-Elect of the Council on Undergraduate Research and so pleased for both her and the important organization she will help to lead.”
Usher’s vision for her presidency aligns with the CUR 2020-2025 Strategic Goals. Her stance has been outlined to enhance the focus on giving students equitable access to research; sustainably supporting undergraduate student constituents beyond NCUR; growing CUR’s partnerships with other higher education associations that promote high-impact practices anchored by undergraduate research; and advocating for defining the how and why undergraduate research is good for students and faculty with investing in decisions that measure this success.
“Undergraduate research is unique because it combines our students’ curiosity with the discovery mission of our colleges and gives students skills that they can use in their careers and their lives. CUR and our members have transformed higher education by embedding undergraduate research as an expected part of many students’ experiences, within and beyond the classroom,” said Usher. She continues with, “CUR is now building undergraduate research as the model inclusive high-impact activity. In addition to making undergraduate research available to students at all institutions and in every discipline, we need to look to intentionally integrate it with other high-impact practices, including internships, community engagement, study abroad, entrepreneurship, and capstones. I look forward to seeing our vision of enriching society through undergraduate research to continue to emerge through our shared commitment.”
Lindsay Currie, CUR executive officer, stated: “Dr. Bethany Usher’s commitment to and experience with key CUR issues such as diversity, mentoring, and support will provide invaluable benefits to the organization and the wider undergraduate research community. Her engagement with CUR for twenty-plus years, including service on the CUR Council and Executive Board, receiving CUR’s inaugural Campus-Wide Award for Undergraduate Research Accomplishment (AURA) in 2015, and so much more, attest to her dedication to the mission. This passion and her leadership will act as a needed asset in continuing to achieve CUR’s mission to advance undergraduate research.”
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.
George Mason University is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls 39,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity and commitment to accessibility. In 2022, Mason celebrates 50 years as an independent institution. Learn more at gmu.edu