CHBS Student Travel and Research Support (STARS) Fund
The College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences has an ongoing commitment to helping students access experiential learning initiatives like collaborative research and co-curricular activities such as Model United Nations and competitive Mock Trial. Participation in these kinds of experiences can shape a student's intellectual and professional trajectory for a lifetime.
As an example, many of our highly motivated students engage in research projects with their faculty collaborators producing results that are competitive with students at other universities. To get these students to regional or even national academic conferences where they can shine takes funding. A trip to a regional conference can run well over a thousand dollars, well beyond the reach of many deserving students who may be financially constrained meeting traditional college expenses such as tuition, room, and board.
The STARS fund provides financial support for student travel to short-term, domestic experiential learning opportunities. Through the generous support of our alumni and friends, STARS assists students with funding for expenses such as travel, registration, and lodging so they can explore the world and opportunities beyond southwestern Virginia.
Student Testimonials
Lexi Bryant, School of Psychology graduate student, received funding to help her travel to the National Association of School Psychologist Convention in Boston, Massachusetts.
Lexi shared the following: “Being a part of Radford’s Graduate School Psychology Program has given me the opportunity to continue to grow with my professional development. As a student in this program, we are required to become student members of the National Association of School Psychologist. Each year, this professional organization holds a convention at different locations around the United States. This year, the convention took place in Boston Massachusetts. The STARS funding allowed me to afford my round-trip flight to Boston. This was very helpful as flights around this time were expensive. During the trip, I was able to grow in my professional development due to having the opportunity to sit in on different conference sessions that cover key topics in the field of School Psychology. I was also able to see a well-known person in the field, Temple Grandin, who spoke about her experiences growing up with Autism and how she overcame them. She also shared great information about neurodiverse learners which is a crucial aspect to consider as a school psychologist who will be exposed to working with different people who have had different life experiences."
Emmie Maurer participated in the 2021 Southern Regional Model United Nations competition in Atlanta, Georgia.
Model UN President Emmie Maurer states “At the Southern Regional Model United Nations, I loved collaborating on my working papers, seeing my new friends from the General Assembly Plenary, and hearing everything about Radford’s delegates’ interactions in their committees and even what they contributed to what would eventually become their resolutions in their specific committees. As head delegate, I loved to hear that not a single delegate disliked or had bad experiences in their committees. Personally, this conference has furthered my love for international relations, the UN, and my new leadership this semester. Overall, I loved traveling, debating, negotiating, representing Radford off campus, and everything Model UN entails. I hope to help develop our MUN team more and represent Radford again within the club during the coming semesters and at future conferences.”
Kyle Cardenas was able to travel to Honolulu, Hawaii in February 2022 and present his research at the Western Society of Criminology Conference.
Kyle Cardenas shared: “Traveling as a graduate student to a new part of the country has given me a chance to gain new perspectives on topics that I have only learned from my professors at Radford University. By having conversations with other professors and students at this conference, I made new relationships that I can always contact if I need advice. When opportunities such as this one arises, I believe it is very important for students to attend these trips because it could create new career paths and give them a greater understanding of what life is like in a different community. Going into this trip, I did not have much confidence in myself because I was going to be doing something that I had never done before. Looking back at this experience, I’m happy to say that I was able to overcome those obstacles, which would not have been possible without help from the STARS Grant and Radford University.”
Abigail Rutigliano’s used the CHBS STARS fund to attend the Eastern Psychological Association in New York City, Spring 2022.
“I was able to not only present research, but support my professional development. While attending this conference, I was able to make important connections with many other researchers and Universities that could help me with my future goals of attending graduate school. STARS gave me an opportunity to learn more in-depth about graduate school and further my academic career within psychology. I was able to speak with admissions of other prospective universities and gain valuable insight into furthering my academic career. The Eastern Psychological Association presented many important talks, speakers, and presentations from a vast spectrum of Universities across the United States. Not only did I learn a great deal from attending this conference, but I was also able to build upon my academic resume which will further help my academic goals as well. In addition, I was able to gain valuable experience of presenting research and learning about other knowledge in the field of psychology. The STARS fund granted me a unique opportunity to meet with many other professionals and gain experience that I would not otherwise be able to. STARS helped support my academic achievements and professional development. “
How to Apply
Please contact Dr. Kim Gainer, the College’s Associate Dean, who will guide you through the process of applying for a grant.
Her email is kgainer@radford.edu.
How You Can Give
Just scan the UR Code below and choose STARS from the drop down menu.
