BOONE, N.C. — A group of five faculty and staff at Appalachian State University received $9,003 in funding from the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) to develop PREParation for Appalachian Research Experiences (PREPARE), a customized mentoring program for junior faculty in the university’s Beaver College of Health Sciences (BCHS).

They are Karen Fletcher, director of Grants Resources and Services within Appalachian’s Office of Research, Dr. Shawn Bergman, associate professor in Appalachian’s Department of Psychology, Dr. Gary McCullough, professor and associate dean of research and graduate education in Appalachian’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Katie Howard, assistant director of Grants Resources and Services, and Charna Howson, director of Sponsored Programs within the Office of Research.

According to Fletcher, limited support staff at predominantly undergraduate institutions (PUIs) reduces the amount of comprehensive assistance that research faculty receive while preparing grant proposals.

“Faculty at Appalachian, a PUI, do not necessarily receive individual instruction on how to navigate the grant landscape nor the internal grant systems and procedures,” she said. “The PREPARE mentoring program will provide comprehensive grant development and grant submission training and is designed to improve the support infrastructure of Appalachian’s Office of Research.”

Nine junior BCHS faculty will be chosen to participate in PREPARE and will be introduced to a mentor network that will counsel selected mentees on establishing a realistic research agenda, improving skills in securing grants, seeking appropriate external funding sources, and promoting compliance with internal and external protocols for the overarching purpose of creating faculty advocates for Office of Research staff and increasing successful grant submissions.

“This program has the potential to expand to other colleges on Appalachian’s campus, as well as serve as a model for other PUIs,” Fletcher said.

About the Office of Research and Innovation

Appalachian State University’s Office of Research and Innovation supports the scholarly and creative activities of App State faculty, staff and students by expanding access to and facilitating the management of research opportunities. The office consists of four units: Grants Resources and Services, Sponsored Programs, Research Design and Analysis, and Research Protections. The office also collaborates with the university’s Special Funds Accounting on the fiscal management of awarded projects. Learn more at https://research.appstate.edu.

About the Dr. Wiley F. Smith Department of Psychology

Appalachian State University’s Dr. Wiley F. Smith Department of Psychology serves more than 1,400 undergraduate majors seeking the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree in psychology, as well as 90 graduate students across four graduate programs: experimental psychology (MA), industrial-organizational psychology and human resource management (MA), school psychology (MA/SSP) and clinical psychology (PsyD). Learn more at https://psych.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

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