Changes coming to SURE program

By Kyla Smulski

There will be some changes, but the Stonehill Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) program isn’t going away.

The number of weeks the program runs will be reduced, as well as the stipend, but housing for students in the program will now be free.

Christina Burney, the SURE coordinator, said she wants to assure students that the committee did what they could to offset the changes, but remain committed to the program.

“We did have to cut the stipend, but it feels alright because we are going down to eight weeks and we are only doing four days a week. It feels ok,” she said. “SURE used to be either eight or ten weeks, and this coming year we are only going to run the eight-week program. SURE, used to be five days a week, and now it's only going to be four. Students used to have to pay for housing, and now housing will be free. The stipend for each student has decreased to $3,900. It is less, but we tried to offset that with the free housing, the four-day week, and the eight-week only,” she said.

The stipend used to be $4,800 for the eight-week program and $6,000 for the ten-week program. The faculty will still receive $500 research funds per student.

The type of projects will also be expanding.

“We are going to allow for remote projects which we've never done before, it's 2025 so it’s really time to embrace that. So, if a faculty or a student pair comes to us and says we want to do our research project remotely, we can now approve of that,” she said.

The SURE program provides students with the opportunity to perform publishable research in collaboration with, and under the guidance of an experienced faculty member. The program is available in all disciplines, and students say it is a crucial program.

Lauren Printz ‘26, a biochemistry major, attended a recent SGA general assembly meeting with seven other students to talk about the importance of the program.

“I participated in the SURE program my sophomore summer, and it was probably one of the most impactful experiences that I've had thus far,” she said. “I was also able to work one on one with faculty and really get to learn the skills that will make me successful in the workplace.”

The SURE committee works with students who have done SURE in the past to sit on the panel and give student insight. Audrey Sears ‘26 and Christian Gurney ‘26 attended the panel; they assisted in the decision-making process regarding these changes.

Sears said the program goes beyond classroom learning, offering real-world opportunities for professional and academic growth.

“This coming weekend starting this Thursday and going until Saturday I will be going to the ISA conference in Providence. I am presenting at the conference in the northeast; I am also going to one in March of next year. We've put together a paper that we've sent proposals for a bunch of different conferences, and we've heard back from two of them to be able to present our research,” she said. “This is really career building because not only does it open me up for networking, but it allows me to put on my CV and my resume the fact that I've done things like public speaking and that I've been peer reviewed, and that I've gone through the publication process. Knowing that I've been able to have opportunities like presenting at conferences absolutely sets me apart from some other applicants if I were to go to graduate school, or if I were to apply to jobs straight after graduation.”

Highlighting both academic and accessible goals of the program, Burney said SURE allows all students to have access to research experiences that can launch their careers in academia and beyond.

“SURE, is important because of the outcomes for students. Every student that participates in the SURE program is participating in publishable research that is significant to their field. This isn’t learning how to research; it’s actually contributing meaningful research and thought into their chosen field. Many students go on to be authors in publications; many students go on to present their research findings at conferences around the world. That is a really special opportunity for an undergraduate student, and for students who are going to grad school, it looks incredible on their CV. Ensuring that it continues to have a stipend attached to it to make it accessible for students is really important to all of us,” she said.