Visiting and Early Research Scholars’ Experiences (VERSE) Program
VERSE creates a cohort of undergraduate students who have not yet had research opportunities and allows them to participate in a 10-week summer research immersion experience.
Students receive a scholarship that provides a summer stipend and on-campus summer housing.
About VERSE
The School of Arts and Sciences is committed to developing programs that will enhance the educational experience of undergraduate students. One way we seek to do this is by offering summer mentored research and scholarship experiences for undergraduates who may not have previously had the opportunity to conduct research. In doing so, we hope to make graduate education and careers in research more accessible and attainable for all undergraduates.
The VERSE program, created by Associate Dean Jacqueline "Jackie" Dejean in 2018, is designed to provide students with experiences that deepen their understanding research and allow them to further develop critical thinking and in-depth analysis skills. The goals of the VERSE program are:
- to offer summer research experiences to students who are at less well-resourced institutions and to Tufts University students who may not have research opportunities;
- to enable students to connect to faculty mentors with active research labs and projects;
- to gain valuable hands-on training that will build confidence in conducting future independent research;
- to inspire students to pursue doctoral studies at Tufts and envision research careers.
2024 VERSE student John Sanchez and Michael Smoot, professor of the practice in printmaking at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts, work together in the printmaking studio.
Each summer VERSE enrolls undergraduate students from around the country who:
- are paired with a faculty mentor, designated postdoctoral associate, or advanced graduate student during the program;
- develop valuable research skills, participate in team meetings and engage in research projects designed for them; and
- participate in professional development, leadership, and social events throughout the summer.
Students receive a scholarship that provides a summer stipend, meal plan, and on-campus summer housing. For more information, contact Assistant Dean of Diversity and Inclusion, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Ashon Bradford.
Explore VERSE
Undergrads Learn Research from the Inside
“I’m working like a grad student would, going to lab meetings, developing proposals, doing a whole ton of reading,” says Kennedy King, A25, right, of her VERSE internship with Elizabeth Race, associate professor of psychology.