Research can provide an important means for developing and communicating innovation or changes. This poster from the Business Communication Program will discuss the need for integrating research intensive assignments into GEB 3213: Introduction to Business Communications. This presentation will outline the objectives, methodologies, and learning design of the Research Intensive course. We will report preliminary quantitative and qualitative data obtained from student participants with their perspective on the need for research skills in their future business work environments. We will discuss the benefits and future directions to improve the use of research in Business Communication and other business courses.

The Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) at FSU allows students to engage in research projects that professors, graduate students, and community leaders facilitate. This poster outlines FSU’s Research Mentor Roundtables, an event where UROP students have the opportunity to meet a variety of research mentors in a casual setting to learn about their research and ask questions. Through this event, student researchers gain the confidence needed to approach research mentors with the intent of creating a new working relationship. This event can be scaled up for a wider audience across campus and help students get into research groups on campus.

40 percent of students enrolled in postsecondary institutions are nontraditional students (NTS), but many of the services offered are designed for traditional students (NCES, 2017). How does an undergraduate research office support this growing student population? To answer this question, a literature review was conducted, and the following themes were discovered: barriers to nontraditional students participation, programs designed for NTS, and a gap within the literature of student’s perception on participating in UR programs. Before addressing this issue, programs should first conduct an analysis of available data on their NTS to determine if special programs are warranted.