H-SC positions students for success by providing the chance to collaborate closely with professors of all majors on immersive research experiences, laying a robust foundation for their future achievements. What started this past summer as part of a research project quickly turned into something extraordinary as economics and business majors Braxton Mergenthal ’24, Zachary Gonzalez ’24, and Teddy Bilodeau ’24 co-authored an academic article with assistant professor of economics and business Jason Matyus, which was published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Behavioral and Applied Management.
“Working with students on a professional-level academic paper was rewarding,” Matyus said. “I often had to remind myself I was instructing the students and watching them grow. All three are high-achieving and driven students, and I watched them develop from asking questions to giving suggestions on how to approach the academic paper.”
The Office of Undergraduate Research equips both faculty and students with the necessary resources for growth during their research journeys. Through scholarships available to faculty and students and a focus on collaborative work, students acquire exceptional knowledge and professional skills unique to the program.
"At Hampden-Sydney, our students get an extraordinary number of opportunities to engage in research work with professors as part of our summer research program, our independent study opportunities during the academic year, and in several different project-driven classes," said Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research Michael Wolyniak.
“Publish or perish” is a well-known aphorism in academia. Publishing original research is deemed critical to an academic’s career development and ongoing funding of research. Instructing undergraduates has occasionally been considered an impediment to the pursuit of publication—a belief that Hampden-Sydney disavows. Competition for publication is steep across the board, and publishing as an undergraduate is a remarkable feat.