The College of Southern Nevada (CSN) and its faculty are involved in a variety of efforts to increase student hands-on-learning through undergraduate research. These efforts are in line with the Community College Undergraduate Research Initiative (CCURI); which CSN is an Affiliate Partner as of 2019. CCURI is a national consortium of organizations dedicated to integrating undergraduate research (UR) experiences in community college STEM programs. Research shows that students who participate in hands-on-learning research are more likely to complete their undergraduate education.
The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) has demonstrated that undergraduate research in the first few years of a student’s education will:
- Enhance the student learning through mentorship by faculty;
- Increase enrollment in graduate programs later;
- Provide effective career preparation for the students;
- Aid in critical thinking, creativity, problem solving and independence;
- Develop an understanding of research methodologies that will benefit their education; and
- Promote an innovation-oriented mindset that students bring with them after graduation
