Greetings from SDUR!

Summer's coming to an end, and we're ready to welcome back our Wildcat scholars as the new school year begins!

In this month's edition, we feature a variety of research and scholarship opportunities to look into as you settle in for a fantastic new school year. Read on for updates on all things SDUR—nationally competitive scholarships, undergraduate research information, and copious details on the McNair Scholars Program. Information sessions will be ongoing as the semester begins, but for more information, visit the SDUR website, follow SDUR on Instagram, or email SDUR@k-state.edu.

Awaiting the roar of new and returning Wildcats,
The SDUR Team

Celebration Corner

The SDUR team is saddened to bid the current graduate research assistant in communications, Rylie Morgan, a fond farewell—but we’re delighted to report that they’ll be moving on to a full-time position as a term instructor in the English department. Thank you to Rylie for all their hard work over the spring and summer semesters!

We’re also thrilled to welcome our new graduate research assistant, Khusnud Tabassum, to the team this month! A doctoral candidate in leadership studies with the Staley School of Leadership, Khusnud will be filling Rylie’s position as the new communications specialist within the main SDUR office. Please join us in giving her a warm welcome!

 

Undergraduate Research

Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) Teams

SDUR is excited to share a new way for students in all majors to join a research team and participate in applied learning. Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) is a transdisciplinary, project-based learning model designed to increase undergraduate research participation in faculty-led research project teams. Students earn academic credit while growing from a learner to a leader on a VIP team over multiple semesters.

How VIP Works:

• Student fills out the VIP Student Interest Form

• Once accepted onto a team, students will be given instructor permission to register for 1-2 credits a semester at the 300, 400, or 600 level. Each credit equals approximately 45 hours of work (three hours/week) for the semester. Please note: If taking additional elective credits is a financial barrier to a student, SDUR has funds for scholarshipping credit hours while we work to integrate these VIP team(s) course options into degree programs.

• Students are encouraged to grow from learner to leader on a team over multiple semesters. VIP teams have three course numbers for students to enroll in as they gain experience: URES 300, 400, and 600.

• Students are not expected to have prior research experience! The VIP model makes it easier for students to join a research team earlier in their undergraduate career.

The inaugural K-State VIP Team, Groundwater Quality Geopaths (led by Dr. Matt Kirk and Dr. Helene Avocat) is enrolling now for fall 2026. For more about this team, watch this short video at this link.

This team will:

• Explore groundwater quality in private wells in Kansas
• Analyze data to show regional trends, and share findings at local conferences

Who should join?

• Students interested in water quality and data analysis.
• Students who are passionate about protecting the health and environment of Kansans.

If you have any questions, email us at sdur@ksu.edu.

Undergraduate Research Amplification Project (URAP)

The Undergraduate Research Amplification Project, funded by Student Governing Association, offers 10 undergraduates $2,000.00 to support their unfunded, student-directed research project for one academic year. Students are expected to engage in 6-10 hours per week of research-related activities, to regularly engage with SDUR staff for advising, and to present their findings in the Spring Campus-Wide Undergraduate Research Symposium.

The deadline for the 2026-2027 application is Tuesday, Sept. 15. Visit the SDUR website for more information.

TRIO McNair Scholars Program

This summer, 12 McNair Scholars completed an 8-week summer research internship as part of their commitments to the program. The internship concluded on Thursday, July 24th with a symposium for all scholars to present their work. Over the course of the eight weeks students learned about scholarly writing, worked with their research mentors, had regular check ins with McNair staff to report research and writing progress, learned about professional science communication, workshopped final presentations, and attended sessions hosted by Scholar Development and Undergraduate Research. Scholars received stipends to support their participation in the summer internship.

Presentation topics included (in order of presentation):

• Salathiael Caudill: Decoding structure and function relationships of conserved NUAK proteins

• Alexia Bouslog: From Harm to Resilience: Examining Personality, Cyberbullying, and Mental Health Cross-Culturally

• Shawna Logue and Mihwa Gassett: Drug Policy Reform in Comparison Perspective

• Michael Reichert: Evaluation of the IgG Response in Rambouillet Lambs Following Vaccination with Clostridium perfringens Type C & D and Tetanus Toxoid (CD&T)

• Elleanor Allen: Adah Isaacs Menken and American Celebrity: The Value of Authenticity in a Capitalist Society

• Dahlia Ortiz: The Effect of Synbiotic Supplement on Appetite post Modified Oral Glucose Tolerance Test

• Rowan Anderson: Decolonizing Oral History Knowledge Production

• Yartezy Rodriguez Medina: Ideological analysis of how academic journals discursively (re)construct the theory-practice gap

• Jaimi Gay: Behavioral Responses to Removal of Familiar Enrichment Materials in a Rat Model of Fragile X Syndrome

• Sara Lopez: Impact of Resveratrol on Endometrial Fibroblasts

• Evan Dickson: Building Better Ways to Make Medicines: Sustainable Chemistry for Next-Generation Fluorinated Drugs

The McNair staff recognizes the important contributions from the following McNair Scholar mentors:

• Chris Barlett, Ph.D.
• Mac Benavides, Ph.D.
• Kelsey Bentley, Ph.D.
• Alyssa Deters, Ph.D.
• Elaine Edelman, Ph.D.
• Gregory Eiselein, Ph.D.
• Carleigh Fedorka, Ph.D.
• Erika Gerisbricht, Ph.D.
• Mark Haub, Ph.D.
• Socrates Munoz, Ph.D.
• Bethany Plakke, Ph.D.
• Tom Sarmiento, Ph.D..
• Sophie Westbrook, Ph.D

And the amazing work of the K-State Librarians who assisted scholars beginning in the spring semester:

• Jason Colman
• Dan Ireton
• Sara K. Kearns, Ph.D.
• Cindy Logan
• Livia Olsen
• Kendar Spahr

The Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program is a TRIO program administrated by the Federal Department of Education and authorized by Congress to prepare academically talented undergraduates for success in graduate studies.

The McNair Scholars Program will be recruiting new participants at the start of the fall semester and will continue to do so until all available openings are filled. Applications will be due early October. Eligible students with interest in graduate study are encouraged to apply. Faculty and staff who know of potential candidates should contact mcnair@ksu.edu. For more information, visit the McNair Scholars website here.

SDUR Research and Travel Grants open now

Each semester, SDUR opens applications for funding for research and travel. Fall applications open around the start of the semester and close in November. Fall funds are intended for research or travel from October 1 through March 31.

Applications for research and travel funds for the fall are open now with a deadline of noon Tuesday, Nov. 10. Visit the SDUR site for more information.

Nationally Competitive Scholarships

Upcoming Scholarship Information Sessions

• NSF GRFP online information session  
  Thursday, Sept. 3, 4-5 p.m., Zoom  
• Orientation to national scholarships for freshmen and sophomores  
  Friday, Sept. 11, 2-3 p.m., Hale 334
• Identifying Graduate Fellowship Opportunities
  Tuesday, Sept. 15, 4-5pm, Zoom
• NSF GRFP personal Statement group feedback session  
  Monday, Sept. 21, 3:30-5pm, Zoom
• Goldwater Scholarship information session
  Friday, Sept.25, 3-4pm, Zoom  
• Udall Scholarship information session
  Tuesday, Oct.13, 4-5 p.m., Zoom
• What is a critical language? Getting paid to study languages abroad
  Tuesday, Oct. 27, 4-5 p.m., Hale 334

Questions regarding information sessions may be directed to sdur@ksu.edu. View all upcoming NCS events here.

Featured Opportunities

Fulbright U.S. Student Awards

K-State's campus deadline is Saturday, Aug. 15—if you’re interested, contact sdur@ksu.edu ASAP!

It's the ideal time to explore Fulbright U.S. Student Award options and to begin preparing your application. Multiple opportunities exist for those interested in studying or teaching abroad. There are two opportunities:

• The Fulbright Study/Research Award is the traditional award opportunity where a candidate designs a proposal for a specific country. Pursuing a one-year master's is also an option in around 35 countries.
• The Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award places grantees in schools overseas to supplement local English language instruction and to provide a native speaker presence in the classrooms. View the countries offering English Teaching Assistant Awards here.

 

Gilman Scholarship

The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program (Gilman Program) supports students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, providing them with skills critical to our national security and economic prosperity. The Gilman offers up to $5000 to study abroad in most countries. Must receive a Pell grant to qualify. Applications open mid-August.

• Email sdur@ksu.edu for more information.
• National deadline: Friday, Oct. 2 at 1:59 a.m. CST

Schwarzmann Scholarship

A one-year, fully-funded master’s program at Tsinghua University in Beijing, designed to build a global community of future leaders who will serve to deepen understanding between China and the rest of the world.

• Learn more about the Schwarzmann scholarship.
• National deadline: Sept. 9 at 2 p.m. CST

Knight Hennessy Scholarship

A one-year, fully-funded master’s program at Tsinghua University in Beijing, designed to build a global community of future leaders who will serve to deepen understanding between China and the rest of the world.

• Learn more about the Knight Hennessy Scholarship.
• National deadline: Oct. 6 at 3 p.m. CST

 

Beyond SDUR

This section features opportunities beyond SDUR’s purview. Want to be included in this section?

• Submission deadline is the 25th of each month
• Email sdur@k-state.edu with subject line, SDUR Newsletter Contribution
• Write a brief description of the opportunity as you would like it listed
• Include all relevant dates, links, and contact information

 

SDUR Pic of the Month

Hale Library, home of the SDUR and McNair offices, is ready and waiting for our new and returning Wildcats! (Photo credit: Staley School of Leadership’s communications team)

 

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