Student Success Center

 

Warhawk Scholars

The Warhawk Scholars Undergraduate Research Program connects undergraduate students with faculty mentors to engage in meaningful research, creative scholarship, and other professional activities beyond the classroom. Through close faculty mentorship, students gain valuable research experience, develop professional skills, and contribute to scholarly work while earning a semester stipend.

Whether you are exploring research for the first time or preparing for graduate school or a professional career, Warhawk Scholars provides an opportunity to work alongside faculty as a member of a research team.

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Who can apply?

The Warhawk Scholars Program is open to all undergraduate students at ULM.

Students participate in one of two program tracks:

1. Research Explorers

Freshmen and Sophomores, as well as Junior/Senior students whose classification is based on dual enrollment and pre-college credits.

Research Explorers are students beginning their research journey. Participants work with a faculty mentor on a year-long research project while developing foundational research skills.

Program Benefits

• • $500 stipend per semester ($1,000 per academic year)
  • Individual faculty mentorship
  • Hands-on research experience
  • Development of research and professional skills

2. Research Scholars

Juniors and Seniors

Research Scholars are students with more advanced academic experience who are prepared to undertake a substantial year-long research project.

Program Benefits

• • $1,000 stipend per semester ($2,000 per academic year)
  • Individual faculty mentorship
  • Opportunity to produce conference presentations, manuscripts, creative portfolios, or other scholarly work
  • Expected participation in the ULM Student Research Symposium during the spring semester

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What are the program requirements?

All Warhawk Scholars participants are expected to:

• Commit to a single research for the academic year.
• Work closely with an approved faculty mentor throughout the program.
• Meet regularly with their faculty mentor.
• Complete the agreed-upon project deliverables by the end of each semester.
• Participate in program assessments designed to measure research skill development.

Projects must represent work beyond normal course requirements and cannot be completed solely for academic credit.

Stipends are awarded upon successful completion of semester requirements and faculty certification that program expectations have been met.

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How to apply?

STEP 1: Find a Faculty Mentor

Identify a ULM faculty member who is willing to mentor your research or creative project. Your mentor may be within your major or another discipline that aligns with your interests.

Discuss your project idea, establish appropriate semester deliverables, and ensure the project is separate from coursework completed for a grade.

STEP 2: Complete the Student Application

Complete the online Warhawk Scholars Student Application

As part of the application, you will:

• Select your program track (Research Explorer or Research Scholar).
• Describe your proposed research project.
• Submit the required statement of interest or research proposal based on your classification.
• Provide your faculty mentor's information.

Once your application is submitted, your faculty mentor will automatically receive a Faculty Mentor Approval Form to verify their participation and approve the proposed project.

STEP 3: Application Review

Applications will be reviewed after both the student application and faculty mentor approval have been received.

Students and faculty mentors will be notified of selection decisions following the review process.

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What are the application requirements?

♦ Research Explorers (Freshmen & Sophomores)

Applicants will submit:

• A brief 1–2 paragraph statement describing their interest in the project.
• Clearly defined semester deliverable(s).
• Faculty mentor approval.

Examples of deliverables include:

• Annotated bibliography
• Literature review
• Preliminary data collection
• Research poster
• Laboratory protocol development
• Archival research summary

♦ Research Scholars (Juniors & Seniors)

Applicants will submit:

• A formal 1–2 page research proposal.
• At least one clearly defined scholarly deliverable.
• Faculty mentor approval.

Examples of deliverables include:

• Conference poster
• Symposium presentation
• Manuscript draft
• Senior thesis chapter
• Creative research portfolio
• Dataset with analysis

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Questions?

For additional information about the Warhawk Scholars Undergraduate Research Program, please contact: Alma Marjanovic at marjanovic@ulm.edu.

 

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