Kristine Johnson and Michael Rifenburg are the authors of the new book A Long View of Undergraduate Research: Alumni Perspectives on Inquiry, Belonging, and Vocation. They tracked down alumni who had participated in undergraduate research years earlier. They wanted to know what kinds of impacts these experiences had on students over the long term. What they heard from these alumni was fascinating.

Kristine Johnson is an associate professor of English at Calvin University, and Michael Rifenburg is a professor of English at the University of North Georgia. They were undergraduate researchers as students, and they now mentor students in undergrad research. In our conversation, we talk about the importance of student-mentor relationships, the impact of working on big and meaningful projects, how undergrad research can help students find a vocation, and how these experiences can both enhance and challenge a student’s sense of belonging. 

Episode Resources

·       Kristine Johnson’s faculty page

·       Michael Rifenburg’s faculty page

·       A Long View of Undergraduate Researchby Kristine Johnson and Michael Rifenburg

·       The Meaningful Writing Project by Michele Eodice, Anne Ellen Gellar, and Neal Lerner

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