The academic careers of many undergraduates can seem impersonal and rigid at times. Lecture halls crammed with over 400 students are not exactly conducive to personal attention, and papers and midterms are due on strict deadlines. Educational opportunities, however, are available for driven and independent undergrads.
The Wisconsin Idea Undergraduate Fellowship Program allows undergraduates to work with a UW-Madison faculty member and a community organization on an independent research project. Projects are designed to benefit all parties involved. The projects range in subject matter from the arts, community and economic development, criminal justice, environmental issues, hunger, poverty and a wide variety of other subjects.
Students work in conjunction with community organizations on projects that focus on a local and community-based need. In the past, these community organizations have ranged from government agencies, K-12 school systems and nonprofit organizations, as well as businesses and trade organizations.
In addition to a valuable learning opportunity, students can earn credits for the work done during their project.
\Everyone has worked. Every project has been successful. Nobody has fallen through the cracks,"" said Susan Dibbell, Morgridge Center of Public Service manager.
The program is relatively new, having only been in operation for the last four years. During that period, a variety of projects and research have been done.
""One student worked with the Briar Patch to create a profile of adolescent runaways in the Madison area,"" Dibbell said. ""She collected data primarily by talking to people on State Street.""
Projects last year ranged from working with the South African Chimpanzee Society to collecting accounts of Madison women during World War II for the State Historical Museum. UW-Madison senior Stephanie Haugh worked with local Girl Scout troops to create workshops to promote healthy body image and eating issues.
""It was a chance to learn outside of a traditional classroom setting,"" Haugh said. ""You could really apply your knowledge, rather than just regurgitating it onto a test.""
Haugh became interested in the Undergraduate Fellowship Program through a service learning course. According to Haugh, the program helped her to understand ""how much hard work goes into these services and how valuable they really are.""
But the most important lessons came from the very community members to whom Haugh was reaching out.
""I learned so much from the girls. Through the program, many of them were able to express things they had never been able to talk to people about before,"" she said.
Alison Helland, who graduated from UW-Madison last year, worked with the American Alliance of Cancer Pain Initiative to develop a manual specifically targeted to the needs of Cancer Pain Initiative patients. As a business major, Helland found the experience of working with a nonprofit organization to be invaluable.
""There was very little mentioned about non-profit organizations in any of my classes, and it was a great experience to see the kind of work that went into them,"" she said.
Helland also found the experience of working with a community organization to be positive.
""The [Cancer Pain Initiative] was great. If there was anything I needed, they would help to get it for me,"" she said.
Besides the skills she gained through collaborating with community organizations, Helland found she developed numerous other skills while working on her project.
""Learning the grant-writing process, knowing how to get what you want out of private and government program'that was a great experience,"" she said.
The Undergraduate Fellowship Program is for students who are independent and
self-motivated.
""It can be very stressful and frustrating at times,"" Helland said.
""It's hard work, but it's very rewarding and a lot of fun,"" Haugh said, assessing her final thoughts on the program.
The application process for the program consists of filling out an application form, writing an abstract of the proposed project, a describing the project, estimating a budget and providing letters of support from a faculty member and a community organization.
The Fellowship provides a stipend ranging from $500 to $3,000 for projects that last anywhere from an entire academic year to a semester or to summer or winter break. Because the program is funded by a fixed amount of money, the number of projects that can be done in a year varies depending on the number and type of applications. Last year, about 10 projects were funded.
One thing is certain. The Undergraduate Fellowship has had a lasting impact, not just on the community members it has served, but on the lives of the students that helped shape it.
""It has been the deciding factor for many students in helping them get jobs, internships and even shaping their careers,"" Dibbell said.
Because of their experiences, Helland wants to do research in the future and Hauge wants to pursue a career in public health.
Applications and further information about the Wisconsin Idea Undergraduate Fellowships can be picked up at the Morgridge Center in the Red Gym. The application deadline for this year is is Feb. 21.
