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Academics

Drinko Center for Undergraduate Research


About The Drinko Center


The Drinko Center for Undergraduate Research seeks to promote and provide students with a variety of research, scholarly, and creative opportunities in all academic disciplines. The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) defines undergraduate research as a mentored investigation or creative inquiry conducted by undergraduates that seeks to make a scholarly or artistic contribution to knowledge. At Westminster College, the Drinko Center for Undergraduate Research supports and encourages the undertaking of research and creative works by students at any academic level and in any of the many disciplines represented by our liberal arts mission. This support includes providing instructive resources for students interested in beginning or furthering their training and education through research; financial support for the undertaking and dissemination of academic scholarship by our undergraduates; and organization of the Undergraduate Research and Arts Celebration (URAC), a day-long event showcasing the collaborative work between Westminster faculty and students through, oral presentations, video productions, art exhibitions, poetry readings, live musical performances, and more.

 

Westminster College Undergraduate Research Fast Facts:


  • At Westminster, seniors in every discipline work on a culminating experiential project (capstone research, senior thesis, recital, display, or similar project) and the Drinko Center for Undergraduate research helps support this work by providing students with grants for research and creative supplies, or for travel to conferences or research sites.

  • In the 2025-2026 academic year, almost 170 Westminster students received some form of funding from the Drinko Center to support their work!

  • Every year in April, the Drinko Center sponsors the Undergraduate Research and Arts Celebration, or URAC. This is a day-long event where students from all across campus show off their hard work through posters, presentations, musical performances, speech and debate, video screenings, art displays, and more.

  • In 2026, 330 Westminster students had their work featured in some way at URAC!

  • Every summer, the Drinko Center sponsors student-faculty research teams to work on a research project through our Summer Research Fellowship Program. This program provides students with a stipend to help them focus on the project and housing on campus, if necessary. Since the program began in 2017, we've supported 83 student-faculty research teams from all across campus. Students have overwhelmingly reported that this fellowship has helped prepare them for their upper level courses, as well as their academic and career plans beyond Westminster.

 

LibGuides


For an updated list of upcoming Drinko Center events, resources, and opportunities for students interested in undergraduate research, please visit the Drinko Center's LibGuide.

 

Contact Us


Email the Office

ugresearch@westminster.edu

 

Where is our Office?

Patterson Hall 315

 

Social Networking

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Patrick E. Lackey

Patrick E. Lackey


Associate Professor