In 2019, a $52,750 grant from AVDF helped Tusculum University successfully launch an undergraduate research program in chemistry. The program focused on students from underserved populations, especially those who are first-generation college students, women or students from underrepresented minority populations. The paid research opportunities allowed students to gain valuable experience in research and lab technologies and methods that are transferrable to other careers and helped them understand fields of research and related career paths. And it did so in a way that provided financial benefits related to their majors and potential occupations so that they would not have to work at jobs unrelated to their career aspirations.
Over a two-year period, the university provided six undergraduate students with paid summer research stipends. Following the summer program, the students were able to continue participating in the research throughout the academic year as part of a course taught by the lead professor, Dr. Dennis Ashford. The participants helped guide six other students in chemistry research, thereby serving as mentors for their classmates. All 12 of the participating students, those funded and those not funded, acquired more expertise in chemistry research while also developing skills in critical thinking, writing, and scholarly presentation.
All of the student participants have now graduated or are on track to graduate with bachelor’s degrees in science, and are either pursuing or planning to pursue post-graduate degrees. Five of the twelve have published in peer-reviewed journals, and the remaining seven have presented their work at regional or national conferences.
In addition to these “quantitative” indicators of success, the grant reports included testimonials from some of the students who were supported, each of whom expressed gratitude for the opportunities and impact provided by the grant. Here is one example, from Annie McCullough, a 2021 graduate of Tusculum:
I started my undergraduate research with Dr. Ashford during my sophomore year at Tusculum University. As [one] of the founding members of this research lab, one [of] the most positive lessons I took away from my research experience with Dr. Ashford was learning how to be patient. To be patient with science, patient when waiting for chemicals or equipment to arrive, patient when the synthesis of a ligand is not successful the first time, to be patient when you are learning a new technique or how to use a piece of equipment. A lesson I am constantly reminding myself to remember as a first-year graduate student pursuing my PhD in Chemistry. I did not even consider pursuing a PhD in Chemistry as a future career option, as I did not feel qualified coming from a small institution with no research experience. However, Dr. Ashford provided myself and many other students the opportunity to get our feet wet in the field of academic research; in the process teaching us how to keep good lab notebooks, improve our scientific writing skills but ultimately how to become critical thinking individuals and scientists. Dr. Ashford cultivated a research lab built upon the sharing of knowledge, mentorship and support. These are skills I am using on a daily basis when interacting with other scientists and students; whether that [means] being a teaching assistant, or helping or receiving help from a fellow lab member.
This type of program seems to be especially impactful at a university like Tusculum, where 39% of students are first-generation and 64% are Pell-eligible. Without the grant, many of the students who participated would not have been exposed to the type of science, technology, and math that was offered through this project. In addition, the project helped inspire a new university initiative focused on increasing career readiness through experiential learning.
Based on the project’s success, Tusculum applied for funding from AVDF to continue the program, and the grant was approved in February 2023. Dr. Ashford was awarded a fellowship from the Appalachian College Association that provided a course release for the 2023-24 academic year, which allowed more students to benefit from the new grant.