Senior Selected for Summer Research Opportunities Program at Harvard

Eastern Kentucky University senior Seth Henderson was recently accepted into the Summer Research Opportunities program at Harvard University.

Henderson, a political science and criminal justice major from Berea, was selected from among a large pool of applicants to the competitive program.

“I applied through the Leadership Alliance,” Henderson said, “and among the four schools I sent applications too, Harvard was one that I knew I probably would not be accepted to, but I decided there was no trouble in applying.” In Summer 2012, only 16 students were accepted into the program. “When I received the notification of acceptance, I was shocked and had an overwhelming feeling of thankfulness to my educators and mentors who have given me exceptional advice.”

During his stay at Harvard, Henderson, a 2009 graduate of Berea Community High School, will research under government professor Dr. Jennifer Hochschild.

“This experience will expose me and prepare me for graduate school work,” Henderson said. “I know the benefits will be tremendous and the networking opportunities will be crucial for my future. I have no doubt I will be more prepared after the program.”

Henderson will also attend weekly faculty lectures, weekly group meeting discussions of student research and will participate in the Leadership Alliance National Symposium. The program will provide all research and course-related expenses, room and board, travel to and from the program and a stipend of $3,000.

“I have ambitions to go to graduate school and, being part of the McNair Scholars program at EKU, I was motivated to participate in summer research to get an early start on what graduate school has to offer.”

Summer Research Opportunities at Harvard is offered for currently-enrolled undergraduates who are considering Ph.D. careers in the humanities, social sciences and life or physical sciences, who have already had at least one summer (or equivalent term-time) of research experience, and who have taken at least one upper-level course in their field of study.

Published on April 23, 2013