If you are a student at Keene State College who may be interested in undergraduate research and creative endeavors or you are a faculty member conducting research and invested in working with undergraduates, you have come to the right place! The Center for Creative Inquiry supports unique, rigorous, and transformative academic experiences that focus on the collaboration between students and faculty mentors.
The Center for Creative Inquiry promotes undergraduate research and creative endeavors in multiple ways, such as:
- Awarding grants for academic-year and summer research
- Distributing funds to support student travel to conferences, exhibitions, symposia and other academic and professional meetings or events
- Providing funding for field experience opportunities
- Supporting the development of faculty mentors
- Organizing and hosting campus events that showcase student and faculty scholarship
Faculty Coordinators
The Center for Creative Inquiry is administered by faculty co-coordinators.
- Dr. Meriem Pages, School of Arts, Education, and Culture, 358-2912
Administrative support for the Center is provided via the Provost’s Office:
- Ms. Linda Farina, administrative assistant, 358-2900
- Nancy Fey-Yensan, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Internal Funding Opportunities for Students
CCI Grants
CCI grants support a wide range of undergraduate research and creative endeavors, from field experiences and student conference attendance to the purchase of equipment and supplies. Grants are awarded four times each academic year and do not have any pre-set funding limitations (but must conform with College policies). See "next steps" for more details.
Application Deadlines
Fall 2018: September 21; October 19; November 16
Spring 2019: February 15; March 22; April 5**
External funding opportunities also exist to support student travel and research. Check out the External Funding Opportunities tab below for additional resources.
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF)
These fellowships allow talented students to spend a portion of their summer conducting research or carrying out a creative project that makes an original contribution to their chosen discipline, extending learning beyond the academic year.
Projects emanating from all disciplines are eligible, as well as interdisciplinary projects. Each fellowship offers $4,000 (taxable income) to the successful student applicant. In addition, each faculty mentor of the successful student applicant will receive $750.
External Funding Opportunities for Students
A variety of external funding opportunities exist for talented students interested in pursuing research during their undergraduate careers and beyond. Listed below are a are a number of opportunities offered on a regular basis. Additional opportunities can also be found through the following searchable databases (UROP or webGuru) Please discuss the possibilities with your faculty mentor and/or CCI.
Find out more about external funding opportunities for students.
Presenting Your Scholarly Work
Keene State College Academic Excellence Conference
Each spring Keene State College holds its own annual Academic Excellence Conference which showcases student work and gives students the opportunity to experience the professional practice of preparing and submitting a proposal, and presenting their work in a public forum. The conference is typically attended by students, faculty, staff, family members, community members, legislators, and the USNH Board of Trustees. Those interested in presenting at the conference should work closely with their faculty mentor to develop the project and conference proposal.
National Conferences on Undergraduate Research (NCUR)
NCUR offers an opportunity for undergraduates around the country to convene and share their scholarly work. Please visit the website for additional details, and discuss the possibility of submitting a proposal with your faculty mentor.
New England Undergraduate Sociology Research Conference
Sociology students from throughout New England gather together each spring to present their research at the New England Undergraduate Sociology Research Conference. The conference provides a supportive atmosphere for student to present their first professional papers.
Interested in funding opportunities that support travel to conferences or fieldwork? That support undergraduate research or fellowships? That support graduate fellowships? Check out the Internal and External Funding Opportunities pages for information on a variety of resources.
Publishing Your Scholarly Work
Metamorphosis
The online Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) undergraduate research journal
- Part of COPLAC’s effort to highlight some of the best recent work in undergraduate research
- Each semester, faculty committees at COPLAC member campuses select two outstanding projects for inclusion in Metamorphosis
- Interested KSC students must contact Dr. Nick Germana for more information about submitting publication proposals
International Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities
The International Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities is a peer-reviewed, open access journal dedicated to the publication of outstanding scholarship by undergraduates and their mentors. The Journal accepts submissions of research articles, fiction, poetry, photography, videos, and other creative works from undergraduate students in all academic disciplines. Interested KSC students should contact Dr. Nick Germana for more information about submitting publication proposals.
Undergraduate Journal of Global Citizenship
This journal is supported by Fairfield University.
Fairfield University encourages all undergraduates who have articles that reflect global citizenship or social responsibility to submit their work to be published through their Undergraduate Journal of Global Citizenship. Deadline for submission to the 4th issue is May 31, 2013. Contact Dr. Nick Germana for more information.
Undergraduate Journal of Service Learning and Community-Based Research
This journal is supported by Pennsylvania State University.
Invites undergraduates to pursue their own intellectual projects and contribute to existing knowledge in service learning, community-based research, and all related curriculum and/or research-based public/community engagement activities. This journal publishes work in 6 categories:
- Reflective Essays
- Analytical Essays
- Research done for a community organization, accompanied by a reflective analysis
- Research articles about service-learning, community-based research, or other related topics
- Open Category
- Comments & Responses
I Am Interested. What's My Next Step?
If you are interested in undergraduate research and creative endeavors, the CCI Coordinators suggest you take the next steps toward getting started. More about I Am Interested. What's My Next Step?
Research Materials & Support through The Mason Library
To understand the uniqueness of your original research, you first need to know its place in your subject area. To do this, the librarians at Mason Library are available to consult with you one-on-one, so you can mine all of the data available from the rich array of resources physically and virtually available through the library.
The library subscribes to approximately one hundred databases. Having the help of an expert information specialist can streamline your research efforts.
If you want to work with primary source materials, Mason Library also has several collections that might be of interest. From original manuscripts to images of indigenous peoples, the archives contain a treasure trove awaiting discovery.
The library’s archivist can help you uncover our holdings which you can turn into your original research.
Council for Undergraduate Research (CUR)
Keene State College is a member of the Council for Undergraduate Research (CUR), a national organization that supports and furthers the cause of undergraduate learning through research in all disciplines. Please visit the Mason Library to view copies of CUR Quarterly, the official publication of this organization.
Faculty-student research teams publishing research or scholarly work throughout the year should consider submitting a synopsis to CUR for inclusion in their Undergraduate Research Highlights feature of the publication.
Contact CCI
Have questions or need help? Please email us at cci@keene.edu