Celebrating Student Research Across SCICU Campuses

For over thirty years, the SCICU Undergraduate Student and Faculty Research Program has opened doors for undergraduate students across South Carolina’s independent colleges and universities. What began as a way to expand research opportunities has grown into one of SCICU’s most meaningful and impactful initiatives, empowering students to ask big questions, test new ideas, and contribute to their fields in tangible ways.

Each year, research proposals are reviewed by subject area experts to ensure projects meet high academic standards and demonstrate strong potential for impact. The result is a program that not only supports innovative scholarship, but also provides students with hands on experience in critical thinking, collaboration, data analysis, and professional presentation skills that serve them long after graduation.

On February 19, 2026, SCICU hosted the 2025-2026 Research Symposium at Milliken & Company in Spartanburg, South Carolina. In a setting that reflects both innovation and industry leadership, student researchers presented their work alongside faculty mentors and institutional leaders. The day was filled with thoughtful conversations, insightful presentations, and a shared celebration of academic excellence.

Thanks to generous support from the Belle W. Baruch Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina, the Daniel-Mickel Foundation, and the SCICU Endowment Fund, $88,295 was awarded during the 2025 academic year. Those funds supported 21 research projects conducted by 29 student researchers across 11 SCICU member institutions.

Looking ahead, proposals for the 2026-2027 SCICU Undergraduate Student/Faculty Research Program are due March 3, 2026. We are already looking forward to reviewing the next round of innovative ideas from across our member campuses and seeing these projects come to fruition.

Read more about the 2025-2026 Research Symposium, including student and faculty interviews, here SCICU 2025-2026 Research Symposium.