For Current Participants

Instructions for Renewing Term

Starting the second term of a multiterm program, students will receive an email before the start of the term notifying them to renew their application in the SRF app to communicate plans for the upcoming term. Click this link for detailed instructions: SRF App:  Renewal process for multiterm programs

Transcript Designation

Transcripts of students who successfully complete both terms of the assistantship will carry the notation James O. Freedman Presidential Scholar Research Assistant.

Students who satisfactorily complete the assistantship and successfully complete the honors program in their major department/program will be designated James O. Freedman Presidential Scholars at Commencement and on their transcripts. The Presidential Scholar research assistantship and the honors program are not required to be in the same department.

Waiver Information

This is an academic program, and close collaboration between the student and faculty-mentor on the research is required.

As specified in the ORC section on Presidential Scholarships, research assistantships "must be completed during R (residence) terms when both the student and faculty are on campus." This has the following implications:

Student location: students must be on campus during BOTH terms of the assistantship

  • This requirement will not be waived for any reason.

Student enrollment: students may request an exception to the enrollment policy in specific circumstances. Requests will only be considered if both the student and faculty mentor will be on campus during the student's leave term AND if one of the following is true:

  • The student does not have two R terms during the junior year.
  • The faculty mentor will not be on campus during the student's junior year R terms (note the additional requirements below for faculty location during the terms of research). 

Faculty location: if the faculty mentor will not be on campus during two of your R terms, the student may request an exception to this policy under certain conditions.

  • Term of assistantship
    • Requests will be considered for the SECOND term of the assistantship ONLY if you have successfully completed the FIRST term of the assistantship with your faculty mentor on campus.
    • Requests will be considered for the FIRST term of the assistantship ONLY if you have successfully completed one or more terms of another Undergraduate Research program with the same faculty mentor.
  • On-campus supervision: your faculty mentor must designate an on-campus mentor for you, and this must be someone who is involved in the project (graduate student, post-doctoral fellow, etc.).

To request an exception to the ORC policy, submit the online waiver form.

  • Waiver forms must be submitted a MINIMUM of 2 weeks prior to the start of the research term.

In considering whether to request an exception to the ORC policies, keep in mind that students often do not complete assistantships conducted during off terms and end up discontinuing the program. Those that are successful have a clear plan established before the start of the term and maintain regular contact with their faculty mentors. 

Research Video Competition

Consider submitting a 3 minute video about your research for a chance to win cash prizes! Short videos are a great way for you to share your research with the broader Dartmouth community. The MAD (Made At Dartmouth) Research Video Competition is jointly sponsored by Undergraduate Research and the Jones Media Center (JMC) in Baker-Berry Library. Check out the website for information about the competition and deadlines.

The Jones Media Center can help with your video by providing loaner equipment as well as tips and advice about shooting footage and editing your video.