Contribute to cutting-edge scholarship and gain valuable research skills in a supportive community of peers and professors with the Pillars of Research Learning Community (PRLC).
Become a World-Class Researcher
Open to all students, the Pillars of Research LC offers the opportunity to gain hands-on research and analytic skills while contributing to topics of interest and gaining class credit. Students in the semester long community will earn 1 credit of GOVT 399.
As a part of Pillars of Research, students have the opportunity to participate in the Undergraduate Research Assistant Program (URAP) conducting a hands-on research project under the mentorship of a Schar School faculty member. Students serving as an undergraduate research assistant earn 1-3 additional credits of GOVT 399.
Pictured, left: Former Pillars of Research student, Delaney Soliday, presenting her award-winning research project entitled “The Taliban Over Time: A Diachronic Case Study of Governance in the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan”
"I do believe that being in a comfortable setting allows students to be more confident in their research and writing. The environment in the PRLC classroom was very welcoming, and it felt like a support group, rather than a required class. I loved that my peers and I were able to bounce ideas off each other and provide positive criticism on what areas of our research we can improve on and how.
Diane Cruz, PRLC '22
A Community of Scholars
Students will have a wide-range of professional development opportunities, including:
- Weekly discussions on research topics with scholars, practitioners, and experts;
- Facilitated conversations around topics related to research and scholarship, including methodology, research design, data management and analysis, poster design and presentations, and working with institutional review boards;
- Facilitated conversations about research and future career prospects, including work in academia and the public sector; and
- A trip each semester to a Washington, D.C.-area research organization such as the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress, Council on Foreign Relations, or Brookings Institution.
A Memorable Year
Past events have included:
- Customized field trips to the Council on Foreign Relations and the Library of Congress
- Notable speakers including senior editor at Foreign Affairs Justin Vogt, and Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist and Schar School professor Steven Pearlstein
- An opportunity to present at the URAP Fair and Internship Expo. Read more about the spring 2022 winner, a Pillars of Research student, Delaney Soliday.
Meet the Pillars of Research Learning Community Director
For any questions or to learn more, contact: mlopezs1@gmu.edu