Student Research Assistant Program

Future Applications

Applications for the Summer 2024 and AY 2024-2025 SRAP cycles are now closed. Please check back in Fall 2024 for information about the Summer 2025 and AY 2025-2026 cycles.

Summer 2024 SRAP Application: Due March 8, 2024.
For projects during the Summer 2024 semester.
FY24-25 SRAP Application: Due March 29, 2024.
For projects during the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 semesters.

Proposals are accepted for research or career-related projects that utilize undergraduate students on tasks which are related to the student’s major.

The student must be utilized in ways which are not solely clerical or secretarial, and project director(s) must be proficient in the project research or career area in order to provide appropriate mentoring to the SRAP student. Funds in the past have been used to hire students as research assistants, media relations and marketing assistants, teachers, trainers, student anchors and lab technicians, as long as there is a research focus.

Submit Summer 2024 SRAP Application Submit AY 2024-2025 SRAP Application

Purpose

The Student Research Assistant Program (SRAP) enables faculty and staff to employ undergraduates to assist in research or other college-related work. There are currently two SRAP programs per year: one running during the Fall-Spring semesters and a second Summer SRAP program that runs specifically during the summer semesters.

The purpose of the Student Research Assistant Program is to encourage student participants to complete their college careers at the University of West Georgia. It achieves this through enhancing their learning experience, increasing their research and career skills in their chosen fields of study, and engaging them in activities and mentoring relationships that improve their quality of student life.

In addition to reducing undergraduate attrition rates, SRAP projects are intended to meet at least one of the following goals:

Contribute in some significant way to the quality of life on campus.
Advance a recognized academic or research project.
Promote the University of West Georgia and enhance its reputation.

History

Overview

The Student Research Assistant Program (SRAP) was established in 1986 in connection with A Day and the Alumni Council fundraising. The program moved under the Office of Undergraduate Research in Academic Year 2012-2013. SRAP currently serves to provide faculty with funding to hire undergraduate students to work on research-related projects within their academic disciplines.

Projects

Funded Projects:

Committee

The SRAP Committee is charged with overseeing the Student Research Assistant Program.

The responsibilities of the committee include the following:
Creating and using procedures that screen job funding requests in accordance with the goals of SRAP
Ensuring that the funds generated in the program are not used in ways that replace money currently funded by the university for similar purposes, such as the Work Study Program, student or graduate assistantships, co-ops jobs, etc
Creating and using channels of communication, procedures and deadlines that make the funds clearly accessible to both students and faculty/staff and that use the funds for maximum benefit to both
Maintaining a balance between previously funded projects and new projects
Achieving and maintaining quality in the program by annually evaluating each project funded.

Student Work Advisory Committee:

Name	Department	Contact
Dr. Natasha Ramsay-Jordan	Education: Dept of Early Childhood through Secondary Education	njordan@westga.edu
Melanie Hildebrandt	Business: Department of Economics/RCOB	mhildebr@westga.edu
Vacant	Social Sciences, Civic Engagement, and Public Service
Dr. Andrew Edelman	Science/STEM: Dept of Mathematics, Sciences, and Technology/CACSI	aedelman@westga.edu
Perry Kirk	Arts: Dept of Art, History, and Philosophy/CACSI	pkirk@westga.edu
Caroline McWhorter	Library: Ingram Library	caroline@westga.edu
Dr. Molly McCullers	Humanities: Dept of Art, History, and Philosophy/CACSI	mmculle@westga.edu
Dr. Kathleen Morales	School of Nursing	kmorales@westga.edu
Dr. Melanie Conrad	School of Communication, Film, and Media	mconrad@westga.edu

If you have questions or need assistance, please contact Lisa Connell (lconnell@westga.edu) and Nate Lawres (nlawres@westga.edu).

Available Positions

Available Student Research Assistant Positions

Available positions are often posted through Career Services website. You may search for available jobs, including Student Research Assistant positions by clicking here: UWG Careers

Contact

The program is administered through the Honors College and the Office of Undergraduate Research.

Lisa Connell and Nate Lawres
1601 Maple Street
Carrollton, GA 30118
678-839-6636 
Email: lconnell@westga.edu or nlawres@westga.edu

For Faculty

Submitting a Proposal

2024-2025 Proposal Information

Applications deadlines:

Summer 2024: March 8, 2024
AY 2024-2025: March 29, 2024

Who's eligible to apply? Faculty, administrative staff members OR students working in conjunction with a faculty or staff member are eligible to submit proposals for projects which will generate student work opportunities (funding is only for undergraduate student salaries).

Proposals are accepted for research or career-related projects that utilize undergraduate students on tasks which are related to the student’s major.
The student must be utilized in ways which are not solely clerical or secretarial.
The project director(s) must be proficient in the project research or career area in order to provide appropriate mentoring to the SRAP student.
Funds in the past have been used to hire students as research assistants, media relations and marketing assistants, teachers, trainers, student anchors and lab technicians, as long as there is a research focus.

When is the deadline? March 29, 2024 (for Summer 2024 SRAP, deadline is March 8, 2024)

To apply, click on the button below:

Submit Summer 2024 SRAP Application Submit AY 2024-2025 SRAP Application

Need help? Questions should be directed to Lisa Connell (lconnell@westga.edu) and Nate Lawres (nlawres@westga.edu).

Project Requirements

Requirements and Information

OVERVIEW

The Student Research Assistant Program enables faculty and staff to employ undergraduate students to assist in research or other college-related work. There are currently two SRAP programs per year: one running during the Fall-Spring semesters and a second Summer SRAP program that runs specifically during the summer semesters.

The purpose of the Student Research Assistant Program is to encourage students to participate in research and other educational opportunities anchored to their chosen fields of study in order to enhance their learning experience, improve their quality of life, advance their academic research skills, and promote the University of West Georgia. The program will also help diminish the attrition rates among under classmen at the University of West Georgia while accomplishing at least one of the following goals:

Contribute in some significant way to the quality of life on campus
Advance some recognized academic or research project
Promote the institution and enhance its reputation

Proposals are accepted for research or career-related projects that utilize undergraduate students on tasks which are related to the student’s major.
The student must be utilized in ways which are not solely clerical or secretarial.
The project director(s) must be proficient in the project research or career area in order to provide appropriate mentoring to the SRAP student.
Funds in the past have been used to hire students as research assistants, media relations and marketing assistants, teachers, trainers, student anchors and lab technicians, as long as there is a research focus.

STUDENT QUALIFICATIONS
Any Undergraduate student who is eligible to hold a Student Assistant position may participate in a SRAP project. The student’s major should be related to the research.

STUDENT TRAVEL
There are limited funds available to SRAP students. Students may apply for funding using the Student Travel Award Application.

SRAP STUDENT RECOGNITION
It is highly encouraged that all SRAP students participate in the UWG Scholars' Day Undergraduate Research Conference in the Spring. SRAP student recognition will take place during this event.

SITE VISITS
During the Spring semester, a member of the SRAP Committee will conduct a virtual site visit with the student worker and supervisor to evaluate the progress of the SRAP project.

PROJECT OUTCOMES
Faculty/Staff sponsors will complete a brief project evaluation at the end of the Spring semester via Google forms. Student project outcomes could include:

Public Presentation at campus event (UWG Scholars' Day Undergraduate Research Conference, etc.)
Submission for publication in scholarly journal or other professional outlet
Submission for presentation at professional conference
Career experience narrative (1 page minimum with supporting letter from career agency)
Portfolio of work created during project

Travel

SRAP Travel

There is a limited amount of funds set aside each year for student travel to present their work at conferences or other professional meetings related to the students’ SRAP projects. These funds will be available through the Student Travel Award Application, in which ALL required paperwork has been completed and submitted according to the deadlines and guidelines below. All travel must be completed by the end of the Spring semester. Students are not paid while traveling, as all travel is voluntary.

This funding can be used ONLY to cover travel related expenses: airfare and other approved travel expenses, lodging, and required conference registration fees.

Note: Meals are no longer covered.

All SRAP student travel must adhere to and be in compliance with the travel rules and regulations enforced by the University of West Georgia.

Students may apply for a student research travel award here.