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Open Doors Summer Research Program

Open Doors 2024: May 28 - June 17

About Open Doors

The Open Doors program is a collaboration among faculty and graduate students at the University of Virginia (UVA), Norfolk State University (NSU), and Virginia State University (VSU) to provide students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with the opportunity to learn about conducting research. The program is for undergraduate students who may be interested in pursuing graduate research degrees.

In this program participants will:

  • engage in the research and writing process that will lead to a research product and presentation that reflects their strengths, interests, and goals;
  • gain a deeper understanding of the opportunities available to them in graduate school;
  • have the opportunity to examine the complexities and multiple layers of their intersectional identities, identify assets and cultural wealth, and identify academic strengths and areas of growth; and
  • build relationships with faculty and graduate student mentors.

The program typically runs for three to four weeks in late May/early June. Participants must be available full-time for the duration of the program.

2025 Application

Check back in the spring of 2025 for next year's application.

This program is designed for students interested in exploring graduate school, including students with diverse research interests including but not limited to education, psychology, and public policy.

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Open Doors Summer Research Program

Participants Deveney Burke and Amaya Woods share about their experience at Open Doors and what they are doing next.

Partner Universities

Norfolk State University

Affiliated Faculty

  • Derrick Lanois, faculty
  • Cassandra Newby-Alexander, dean, College of Liberal Arts
  • Chinedu Okala, associate dean

Virginia State University

Primary Contacts

Affiliated Faculty

  • Omar Faison, VPR
  • Naha Farhat
  • Willis Walter, dean, School of Education
  • Isis Walton, dean, College of Graduate Studies

University of Virginia Partners & Sponsors

Summer 2022 Program

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VEST Fellowship Program

Open Doors was initiated in 2021 with funding from the Virginia Education Science Training (VEST) grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The program is also supported by fellows and faculty associated with the VEST program. VEST integrates the use of theoretical models of causal inference from various sciences (e.g., psychology, economics, biostatistics) with research designs, analytic techniques and methods that support causal inferences in studies of school, classroom and program effects.

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