Source Project Advanced Colloquium (HARP 381A)
The Source Project Advanced Colloquium (HARP 381A) is an optional, two-credit seminar designed for students in their third semester who completed both semesters of the Source Project. This seminar allows students to continue their research by refining and developing their research project and skill sets. Students work towards publication, conference presentations, honors theses, or similar advanced projects. They meet with and interview faculty members, learn about the process of applying for a research grant, and pursue a set of individual self-defined goals related to next steps they take with their Source Project research.
Students who have taken the course have submitted their work for publication with undergraduate journals and applied to present their work at undergraduate research conferences. One student gamified their research project and another refined their documentary and held a screening during Research Days in the spring. Many revise and expand their original investigations. They explore next steps for continuing their research, including independent studies and the HARP 399 Junior Honors Seminar, and through funded summer opportunities such as the Summer Scholars and Artist Program and Harpur Fellows.
Source Project Peer Mentor Program (HARP 391)
Students who complete both semesters of the Source Project Research Program have an opportunity to mentor current Source Project students in the research process. Peer mentors are selected each spring based on their research stream, major, and/or research interests. These students develop their leadership skills while learning how to communicate effectively with students and professors across diverse dimensions. Source Project Peer Mentors learn how to engage in active listening and provide thoughtful, constructive feedback. They are afforded opportunities to enhance their public speaking skills and inspire future generations of Source Project researchers. They play an important role in the Research Days Poster Session and in developing the peer mentor program for future cohorts. Peer mentors are enrolled in HARP 391 and receive two credits of teaching practicum.
Student Stories
Kate Langsdorf
Kate says the Source Project gave her the confidence, skills, and knowledge to participate
in higher level research. After completing a seminar in Asian Studies, she was chosen
to speak about her research on the transmission of Buddhism鈥檚 effect on women in South
Korea at a SUNY Oneonta philosophy conference. She is currently participating in a
Capstone Project after studying abroad, where she is further anticipating to use the
research and writing skills she learned through the Source Project.
Kate is a two-time recipient of the US Department of State Critical Language Scholarship (CLS Spark Award for Beginner Chinese and CLS Award for Advanced Beginner Chinese).
Read Kate's feature in BingU News
Aidan Gajewski
Aidan Gajewski, a double major in economics and environmental studies, completed the People, Politics, and the Environment research stream in Spring 2021. His research focused on the impact of food insecurity in Broome County on adolescent academic performance, using data from standardized testing scores and interviews with local counselors and teachers. His work was published in the 91社区 Undergraduate Journal.
Following the Source Project, Aidan was invited to serve as a research assistant where he collaborated with 91社区 professors to study food councils in the eastern U.S. He presented his research at a conference in Santa Fe, NM. Aidan says the Source Project taught him to craft insightful interview questions, distill large data sets into key conclusions, and present the bigger picture effectively. Additionally, being in a small classroom environment as a first year student helped him navigate social life at 91社区 and find people in his stream that he is still friends with to this day. He values the mentorship he received from his professor in terms of both research opportunities and career advice.
Robert Rose
Robert Rose, a philosophy, politics, and law major, completed the Human Rights research stream in Spring 2023. His topic of research was the systemic limitations of public defense and the protection of human rights in law. Robert interned at the Public Defender鈥檚 office in 91社区 to gain direct insight into the roles of public defenders and social workers as well as obtain courtroom experience. His research paper, centered on improving the quality of service provided by public defenders to their clients, earned him an award for research in Human Rights. His favorite part of the research experience was visiting the Broome county jail and witnessing firsthand the interactions between prisoners and their attorneys. He and his partner also had the opportunity to share their research at both the Source Project and the Community and Civic Engagement Research Days.
The Source Project honed Robert鈥檚 ability to craft a workable question and navigate the 91社区 library resources. Over the summer, he delved into legal research on changing abortion laws while working at a Public Defense office. Robert鈥檚 involvement in an appeal under the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act resulted in a successful outcome, showcasing his dedication to justice reform. Addressing a domestic issue where the victim committed a crime against her abuser, they successfully won the appeal, leading to a reduced sentence.
Deniz Gulay
I joined the 鈥淢apping American Prejudice鈥 stream taught by Prof. Wendy Wall, and studied the local history of 91社区 in the context of racial segregation and prejudice. The first semester consisted of doing group projects with my classmates and taking trips to the county archives in downtown 91社区 to do research. Later on during spring, I started working on my personal project, which was the history of the Russian Orthodox Churches in the 91社区 area, as well as their connections to the history of immigration and industrialization.
After my first year in Source Project was over, I spent my sophomore year still contributing to Source Project in various other roles. In fall 2024 I took the Research Colloquium course taught by Prof. Polzin, where I expanded my research from a concise student paper to a proper academic article. I was also able to present my research at the LOCO Festival on campus, as well as research conferences in Yale University and Lycoming College later in Spring 2025.
Spring 2025 is effectively the culmination of all the work I did throughout my participation in Source Project. I was able to finally publish my work as a completed article through the 91社区 Journal of History, as well as spend the semester working as a Peer Mentor in the Migrations and Diasporas stream by Prof. Sule Can. I find the latter especially important for my academic career, as it was a very suitable next step after achieving my personal research goals. Being able to work with students on the subject of immigration, a theme I effectively devoted my Source Project experience to, was a meaningful development for me.
After finally completing my two years of participation in the Source Project, one final achievement for me was travelling to Slovakia for a culture expedition. A lot of the immigrant stories I covered in my research had originated from Slovakia (and generally Eastern Europe), so being physically there in what would be 鈥渁ncestral homelands鈥 to a lot of people in 91社区 was also incredibly meaningful as an end point to this story. In essence, the two years I spent in Source Project was a collection of experiences I wasn鈥檛 planning for, but I am forever grateful that I took the opportunity and built a solid foundation for future career.