Position Statements

Through the history of CUR, we have better understood the positive implications of undergraduate research for participants. Over the years, the list of benefits has continued to grow. We are now synthesizing these benefits into broader implications they could have for students. Over the last few years, CUR leaders have been conversing with funding agencies, industry partners, human resource experts, future employers, professional societies, and beyond to understand the impact of undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative inquiry (URSCI) on career readiness.

Through the process, we have recognized the need to clarify our language when working with diverse audiences. Our conversations and student participants will engage those far outside our campus and higher education. We found there are often shared goals or needs, but our framing and word choice separated us versus uniting us.  The skills gained during participation in URSCI experiences are exactly what employers look for when we speak the same language. In an effort to get us started, CUR is releasing a position statement connecting the URSCI experience with career readiness. This is the first of many steps we will take on this journey. We hope you will use this as a tool to advocate for URSCI and as a prompt to help your students frame the outcomes of participation in URSCI experiences.