Howard Hughes Program

Undergraduate Summer Visiting Research Fellowship Program 
Spelman students participate in summer undergraduate research programs at research universities across the nation. These programs provide valuable opportunities to gain experience in a research focused environment. The student’s satisfaction with this experience is highly correlated with the quality of their research mentor.

Effective mentors take seriously not only their responsibility to provide a productive research project, but also to develop a supportive relationship with the students as they learn about science culture and join in the community of a research lab. Beyond scientific advice and support, students who more readily “see themselves in their mentors” may benefit from shared experiences, perceptions and concerns as they consider their scientific careers. 

Our Summer Visiting Research Fellowship Program connects Spelman students with a selective network of minority female investigators who can provide that unique calibrate perspective on career choice and scientific development. This program provides an opportunity for our students to conduct research under the supervision of female minority investigators at research institutions around the country.

The research mentor provides a structured, eight week research experience for a student in the culture of their laboratory.  The following academic year, the research mentor is invited to campus to conduct a Research Seminar as well as participate in our Mentor Workshop for individuals that mentor female students of color interested in pursuing scientific careers. The program  cover the costs of the student stipend, student travel to the research institution, student housing accommodations, a modest supply budget and the mentor’s travel costs to conduct a research seminar. 

Students must be nominated by a Spelman faculty member to participate in the Summer Visiting Research Fellowship Program.  Once nominated by a faculty member, the student will receive an invitation to apply to the program. Once accepted to the program, Research Fellows will be paired with a mentor based on research interests. The deadline for students to be nominated and apply to this program is March.

Spelman faculty can nominate students for the Summer Visiting Research Fellowship Program by visiting the following website:

http://princess.spelman.edu/howardhughes.nsf/StudentNomination

Female Minority Investigators interested in providing a summer experience for our students can complete the application for a Faculty Research Mentor position by visiting the following website:

The deadline to apply for a position this summer is in March.
http://princess.spelman.edu/howardhughes.nsf/SummerVisitResearchMentor