Student-Centered Learning
Meaningful Sociological Study, Excellent Undergraduate Work
While taking a class, a student typically expects to take exams, write term papers, or work on group projects throughout the semester. The Notre Dame Research Workshop on Race, Ethnicity, Activism, and Protest (REAP), however, is anything but typical. For those sociology majors planning on attending graduate school, or for those passionate about conducting research, REAP takes them far beyond average coursework.
Rory McVeigh, director of REAP since 2003, calls the program an “amazing opportunity” that “allows the students to grab onto something that’s really of interest to them.” Participating students read critical sociological essays as a group, find a focus for individual projects, and develop top-notch research papers during the yearlong course.
“It’s run very much like a graduate seminar . . . with a substantive focus that holds it all together,” McVeigh explains.
Evolution of the Workshop
Dan Myers, professor and chairperson of the Department of Sociology, started REAP in 1997.
I began the program as a way to give undergraduate students experience participating in a full‑fledged research project,” he says. Myers specializes in race riots and had collected a large amount of archival data that focused on race riots and relations in the United States during the 1960s. REAP participants were allowed to study and analyze this data as they developed individual projects.
Over time, the program has evolved. Now, students may choose their topics based on their personal interests, as long as their theses center on issues of race and activism. Funded by the National Science Foundation from 2002—2005, REAP is today successful enough to thrive as an exclusively Notre Dame-supported program, without funding from an outside source.
A Renewed Respect for Sociology
Once fully invested in the workshop and working under the guidance of McVeigh, the undergraduates start to see themselves not just as students but as sociology experts.
"Our students are using advanced regression techniques that even our grad students are just learning,” McVeigh says. “By the time the year is over, with the type of attention that they’re getting, they’ll produce a paper that would qualify as a master’s thesis . . . They could enter a graduate program already understanding the process.”
Ultimately, the participants finish the workshop with a renewed respect for their own work and the subject matter that they present. Amanda McBride, who participated in the program last year, hopes to pursue a master’s degree after graduation.
“[REAP] demonstrates that being a sociology major is more than just attending interesting classes; it’s preparation to understand and/or contribute important insights about the world around us,” she says. “Professor Rory McVeigh does an unprecedented job of guiding students through the sometimes stressful process of producing an original research paper. Through his patience and understanding, he manages to make the learning process enjoyable.”
This piece was contributed by Katherine Malkovsky, an intern in the Office of News and Publicity. Katherine is a senior pursuing a major in English and a supplementary major in Art History.
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