Jennifer Thorington Springer—associate dean of student affairs, founding director of the RISE Program, professor of English, adjunct professor in the Women Studies and Africana Studies Programs, and an affiliate faculty member in the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)—has been elected to the Executive Board of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR). Thorington Springer will serve as a general representative to the board, beginning her three-year term in summer 2021.
Thorington Springer earned her BA in English from Westfield State College (now University) in Massachusetts, as well as her MA and PhD in English from Miami University of Ohio. At IUPUI, she has served as an active mentor in initiatives such as the McNair Scholars Program and the Olaniyan Scholars Undergraduate Research Program; piloted a peer-to-peer mentoring program; and promoted high-impact practices, experiential learning, and civic engagement, particularly among underrepresented students. At CUR, she has served as a Councilor in the Arts and Humanities Division since 2018 and as co-chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. She will begin a three-year term as Councilor in CUR’s At-Large Division in summer 2021.
Said Lindsay Currie, CUR’s executive officer, “Dr. Thorington Springer’s leadership has been of enormous benefit as CUR works to fulfill its strategic goal of diversity, equity, and inclusion in undergraduate research while remaining true to its values. Her encouragement of faculty wishing to mentor underserved students in culturally appropriate ways, diligence in expanding research opportunities for students, and implementation of institutional structures supporting undergraduate research will be invaluable to the work of the board.”
Said Thorington Springer, “I am honored and excited to have been selected to serve as a general representative. While I look forward to participating in the overall work conducted by the board, I am enthusiastic about collaborative opportunities to guide and enhance CUR’s efforts to integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion at every level of the organization with intentionality and built-in accountability.”
###
Council on Undergraduate Research: The Council on Undergraduate Research supports faculty development for high-quality undergraduate student-faculty collaborative research and scholarship. More than 700 institutions and nearly 13,000 individuals belong to CUR. CUR believes that the best way to capture student interest and create enthusiasm for a discipline is through research in close collaboration with faculty members.
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis: IUPUI is home to 29,390 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students from 49 U.S. states and 142 countries, offering more than 550 academic programs from IU and Purdue.
