Immersive Experiences

Undergraduate Research

Every undergraduate research experience and final culminating project is overseen by a Vanderbilt University faculty or staff member who serves as adviser. Undergraduate research can take place in any discipline and occurs on campus, in the field, abroad, or at another institution. Advisers can help students with a plan to find research mentors and to decide what kind of undergraduate research they may want to pursue.
Students who choose undergraduate research for their immersive experience can tie it together by presenting at one of the Vanderbilt University Undergraduate Research Fairs, by writing a paper (Honor’s thesis, peer-reviewed article, etc.), or in any other way the student and adviser can imagine.
There is no requirement that the final culminating project be publicly presented. The adviser approves the culminating project.

Community and Civic Engagement

Different from service learning or volunteer work, community and civic engagement require ongoing and intentional interactions between the student and the people or entity that are central to their immersive experience.
Community engagement is direct or indirect work with an entity or group that provides a service or product to a group or community.
Civic engagement is when students benefit a community or region through direct or indirect work. Examples include voter registration, advocacy and education, and political involvement.

Innovation, Design, and Creativity