The CHBS Student Travel and Research Support (STARS) Fund
The College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences has an ongoing commitment to helping students access experiential learning initiatives like collaborative research and co-curricular activities such as Model United Nations and competitive Mock Trial. Participation in these kinds of experiences can shape a student's intellectual and professional trajectory for a lifetime.
As an example, many of our highly motivated students engage in research projects with their faculty collaborators producing results that are competitive with students at other universities. To get these students to regional or even national academic conferences where they can shine takes funding. A trip to a regional conference can run well over a thousand dollars, well beyond the reach of many deserving students who may be financially constrained meeting traditional college expenses such as tuition, room, and board.
The STARS fund provides financial support for student travel to short-term experiential learning opportunities beyond the Radford campus. Through the generous support of our alumni and friends, STARS assists students with funding for expenses such as travel, registration, and lodging so they can explore the world and opportunities beyond southwestern Virginia.
STORIES OF STUDENT TRAVEL: Hear from Haley Cashwell, Madison Cummins and faculty coordinator of the Model UN, Dr. Paige Tan about their travel experiences:
"At the Eastern Psychological Association, I was able to collaborate with other students as well as professors in the psychology field. I had the experience of presenting research that my team had conducted this past year helping me to hone my presentation skills. I was also able to practice answering any questions or addressing concerns that people had regarding the research that was being presented. This helped build my confidence and will be important in my future career.
I was also provided with the opportunity to learn about other research studies that students and professors from all over the world had conducted. This allowed me to make important connections with many different individuals and build upon relationships within the Radford Psychology Department. It was also extremely helpful because some researchers presented information that was very related to my future career in school psychology. Attending this conference gave me the tools to build on my resume which is helpful as I will soon be heading into internships. I am thankful that STARS provided me with the opportunity to work on my professional development and learn from psychology students and faculty across the world. - Haley Cashwell
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"I attended the domestic violence conference in Abingdon, Virginia. The conference focused on domestic violence in the Appalachian region and was hosted by Southwest Virginia Legal Aid. I was able to hear from keynote speaker, Professor Chambers from the University of Louisville and her comparison between urban and rural survivor resources.
I was happy I was able to make several networking connections. I met domestic violence survivors, victims' advocates, and attorneys. I was the only college student who attended and was certainly the youngest. This opportunity allowed me to receive an internship offer at Legal Aid in Christiansburg, along with the opportunity to volunteer at the Women’s Resource Center. I am so glad I went!" - Madison Cummins
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"Thanks to everyone for the funds so that Model UN could travel to Charlotte in March 2023. We spent three days at the Southern Regional Model United Nations. Our students represented Belgium and Iran on the following committees: General Assembly Plenary, International Organization for Migration, UN Relief Works Administration, and UN Economic and Social Council. We had four experienced delegates and SEVEN newbies. This is great news as we work to rebuild the club's size and strength after the COVID years. Thank you all so much for the support. With your support, we're creating great learning experiences for our students." - Dr. Paige Tan
Please consider a gift today to help increase access to these types of opportunities for our students.
