Research Opportunities

Sometimes I get so involved in trying to get things done I forget to look around and see what is new. With midterms happening this past week I guess my nose was more in a textbook than usual as I saw something new this week. In the Integrated Science Center there is a series of cases with all the published research that undergraduate students have helped on, and in some cases even been published on for their contributions. A large portion of students at William & Mary are involved in research in a wide range of fields such as government, biology, chemistry, psychology and more.

Being able to be involved in research is important for a lot of students when considering an undergraduate university. Far too many times this is a trade off with other aspects such as professor involvement. Students want the research opportunities of a big university but to be able to have personal relationships with professors. William & Mary is primarily an undergraduate university so students can get both experiences. As someone who is a research assistant in a psychology lab, the experience is one that has shaped my life. I feel as though I am a part of something bigger than myself as I am helping to run experiments and analyze data that could be a major breakthrough.

The chances to learn at William & Mary does not stop in the classroom. Professors work with students and try to establish a personal relationship with students beyond coursework. Beyond having professors that genuinely care they encourage their students to grow and learn more about their passions. Research is just one of the ways professors try to encourage their students’ passions.

-Rebecca Hill ’17