Student Research & Engagement
UNI is proud to offer an abundance of opportunities for students to gain hands-on experiences outside of the classroom.
Through many of our programs, you'll gain experience conducting research straight away as an undergrad. Why is that important? Research helps students apply and more deeply understand the knowledge and skills they've gained in the classroom. Whether you work alongside faculty or choose a topic of your own, diving into research is a great way to gain skills in perspective taking, critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration and more. It can also help lead to future career or graduate education interests. Discover what topics and kinds of work you're passionate about!
Through volunteer or internship opportunities, you'll have another great way hone your newly learned skills and discover your interests. Our programs are equally committed to helping our students work with community business and organizations to directly experience different industries and positions.
The INSPIRE Student Research & Engagement Conference is an opportunity for students to showcase the wide variety of experiential activities in which they participate inside and outside of the classroom, including: research, internship, volunteer or study abroad experiences, club activities and/or creative performances.
Save the Date
The 2025 Conference will take place April 7-8 in Rod Library.
Project Categories
- Research: Poster or oral presentations on a research or scholarly project.
- Volunteer/Internship Experiences: Poster or oral presentations on a discipline-related volunteer, work, or internship experience (e.g., cooperative education, practicum, service learning, study abroad).
- Club Activities: Student clubs or groups may propose discipline-related activities (e.g., historical re-enactments, project demonstrations, informational workshops) for poster, oral, table, or other types of presentations/engagement.
- Creative Performances: Individuals or groups of students may do various creative performances, exhibits, or demonstrations (e.g., music, art, improv, dance).
Questions?
Please visit inspire.uni.edu and/or reach out to our conference co-coordinators Helen Harton and Windee Weiss. Submission details and more information will be posted online as the spring semester draws near.
Research & Relationships Help Grad Prepare for Law School
“This was my opportunity to dive into a really niche area of social justice … and add something to the conversation.”
Gaining Experience in School Counseling
“When you're committed to doing this for an entire semester … you're going to be really passionate about it. People got really fired up about their projects. They found their thing, and were like, ‘this is what I want to do.’”