Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE)

In 2010, Mount Saint Mary College launched the Summer Undergraduate Two students with a Mount faculty member learning how to prune a tree. Research Experience (SURE): a paid summer research program for undergraduate students. This program offers all student majors in all research disciplines the chance to work with faculty mentors to conduct scholarly research projects. Over the past decade, students have conducted research projects in areas such as psychology, history, literature, education, healthcare, literacy, international studies, math, and the natural sciences.

This enriching program has sparked some of the most original and interesting research Mount students have ever conducted, including:

2017 - "Comparing and Contrasting the Confidence and Competence of Student Teachers in Inclusive Classroom Settings," researched by both Payge Yerkes and Megan Torpey with faculty mentor Professor Vicki Caruana
2018 - Raymond Shepherd’s plant and animal survey of the Hoyt Foundation forest in Walden, NY, alongside Professor Douglas Robinson
2019 – Jose Colotlacuateco’s examination of employer-desired skills from college graduates and how colleges are developing these skills, alongside Professor Tony Scardillo
2020 - "Mathematical Modeling of the Coronavirus," researched by Sarah Canzone with Professor Christina Alvey

Why Participate in SURE?

The SURE program takes students out of the classroom and into research environments, which fosters a deeper learning experience. Whether it be a chemistry lab, the banks of the Hudson River, a wildlife preserve, or a library, this unique program provides students with the opportunity to be a part of growth outside the classroom. Students who participate in SURE have the rare opportunity to spend their summer converting knowledge they’ve gained in the classroom into tangible work experience.

SURE Program Details

To participate, students must apply with faculty mentors for the paid research position by Monday, March 4, 2024. Students may choose to participate in either a five- or ten-week summer session. During the summer session(s), students who are chosen for the program work closely with their faculty mentors to conduct a research project. There are two different approaches when applying for SURE:

Students may apply to participate in a project presented by a professor. Please click here to review faculty research proposals for the summer 2024 sessions.
Students may come up with their own research idea and post their idea to the Student-Generated Research Project Ideas forum on the SURE eClass site. Faculty will be reading students' posts and may contact them directly. If students have a specific professor they'd like to work with, they can also contact that faculty member directly and ask if they would be interested in being their SURE faculty mentor.

SURE students are paid a stipend and live for free on campus during the session(s). Students present their results at a SURE Symposium the following fall.

Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Application Guidelines

SURE 2024 Student Application

SURE 2024 Faculty Application