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Q:

Have you received funding from Dartmouth for research, a project, or a trip? If so, how did you find that funding and what did it enable you to do?

A: shuyi

To the first question, have I ever received funding from Dartmouth for research, a project, or a trip: the answer is yes! I've been awarded scholarships for three terms now under either the Sophomore Research Scholarship or Presidential Scholarship, amounting to a total of $3,000 in scholarship money for my research. This isn't a rare circumstance, as a lot of my friends have been able to receive scholarships for their research. Some of the cooler examples include my friend Ian, who received a Stamp Scholarship for his research in astrobiology. I also recently interviewed Jose for 3D Magazine, who is doing computer science research as an E.E. Just Scholar. To explore all the funding options available for research and projects, you can start with Dartmouth's Undergraduate Advising & Research (UGAR) website! There, you can find more information on the various scholarships and read about some of the cool projects that Dartmouth students are doing! Similarly for trips, I know that Dartmouth offers great aid for anyone who would like to go on one, whether that's a weekend hiking trip close to Dartmouth or a Winterim trip across the world! Although I haven't been on a Dartmouth trip yet, some of my friends recently went on a winterim hiking trip in California with the Dartmouth Mountaineering Club! 

I hope my answer helps open your eyes to the plethora of funding opportunities that Dartmouth provides. Moving on to the second question about finding these opportunities and what I use the funding for, I think everyone has a different story. Personally, I found my scholarship opportunities by simply receiving an email from UGAR letting me know that I was eligible for funding. After submitting an application that consisted of a few essays and project descriptions, I was accepted into the scholarship program! My research mentor, who is a professor at Tuck, was super supportive along the way, as he helped write recommendation letters for my applications. For other students, they might find out about scholarship opportunities from friends, professors, internet searches, or emails like me. When it comes to actually spending the money, Dartmouth gives you a lot of independence on how you wish to spend it. Initially, I planned on spending my scholarship to travel to Vermont to learn more about the progressive food waste laws there, since I'm currently doing research on minimizing food waste. However, because of Covid-19 those plans were canceled, which means my scholarship is just a nice source of income instead. However, it's still nice to be recognized for your work through a scholarship, as I dedicate hours every week to my research. 

Although college research might seem intimidating, it's actually super accessible at Dartmouth. In fact, undergraduate research is one of Dartmouth's biggest strengths and is an opportunity for anyone who seeks it out. If you have any questions about undergraduate research, you can contact UGAR through their website! 

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