The UW- Whitewater Research Apprentice Program (RAP) is a wonderful opportunity for Freshman and Sophmore level students to get their feet wet in research and get paid for it! Our office offers research opportunities to all majors and areas of interest on campus, even the arts! Our program is a great way for students to improve upon and learn new skills in their area of interest. As a paid and flexible position on campus, you don't want to miss out on RAP.
Watch the video below as the former Undergraduate Research Program's Director, Ana Caballero Mengibar, and the former Research Apprentice Program's Coordinator, Mike Unhoch, share what RAP is and why freshmen, sophomores, and first-year transfer students should consider joining the program during their time at UW-Whitewater.
The Research Apprentice Program (RAP) provides eligible students with a paid research opportunity to assist a faculty mentor with a research project for an hourly wage up to 125 hours per academic year. Due to limited resources, spaces are limited, applications close on Friday, October 13th, 2023. Students can apply with a particular faculty/staff member in mind or the Undergraduate Research Program staff will attempt to match students and mentors with similar research interests. RAP funding is available for the academic year 2023-2024.
If you are a King/Chavez Scholar you will complete research during the Spring semester. Please reach out to your King/Chavez Coordinator for questions about the research requirements for your cohort.
If you are a facutly/staff member who is looking for research assistants, please click the link above to request student assistants. The link above is ONLY for mentors. Depending on your research needs, you can request up to 125 hours from your research assistants and we can pair you with students with comparable interests/availability. The URP/RAP office will consider all information given to match faculty with students whose academic interests align with the department of the project. Due to limited resources, spaces are limited and will be filled mostly on a first-come basis, however final decisions will be made by the URP team.If you want some guidance about being a mentor, check out our Guide for Mentoring RAP Student Researchers.
*Preference is given to students who are enrolled full-time on campus and are first degree seekers.
Applications are reviewed by the Undergraduate Research Program staff.
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The Undergraduate Research Program is simply a home to many research opportunities offered on campus. After RAP, students can participate in student-led programs where they can pose their own questions or create their own projects. Browse programs after RAP!
Yes! Research opportunities are offered for every major and field of interest on campus, providing there is a faculty/staff member available to mentor in the desired area. For creative majors (Art, Dance, MAGD, etc.), RAP projects involve working hands-on with their medium and learning new skills alongisde a mentor.
Not at all! Many Freshmen participate in RAP without any problems academically. RAP works well with a student’s schedule, so they can pick and choose what hours work best for them. RAP students are also paid an hourly wage, so this is a great opportunity for a campus job for first and second year students!