The mission of the Undergraduate Research Initiative is to provide Hunter students with the opportunity to conduct research alongside Hunter's outstanding faculty and to encourage and support those faculty who provide Hunter's undergraduates with research experiences outside the classroom.

Message from Provost Rabinowitz

Over the last decade, an increasing number of public and private colleges and universities have expanded research opportunities for undergraduates -  and for good reason. Faculty know all too well that classroom teaching is only part of what students need to succeed. Mentoring outside the classroom - especially mentoring provided as part of a collaboration to examine, create and share new knowledge or creative works - can make all the difference in helping undergraduates develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in college and beyond.  Research experiences and one-on-one support and mentoring and advising from Hunter's exceptional faculty can have a transformative effect on students' professional and personal lives.  It can awaken a passion for research or creative activity that students did not know they possessed, and it can help students who did not think they could "do" research to recognize that they can not only do it - they can do it well enough to consider pursuing it as a career.  In addition, there is good evidence that undergraduate students who participate in scholarly research and creative activity outside of formal classroom settings are more engaged in their college studies, more likely to graduate, and more successful in applying for and gaining entrance into graduate school.  The new Undergraduate Research Initiative represents Hunter's commitment to providing its students with an outstanding education.