For Students

Turn your coursework into real research experience.

The Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) Program gives VCU students the opportunity to earn academic credit while working on long-term, faculty-led research and creative projects.

Unlike a traditional one-semester course, VIP students can remain with the same project over multiple semesters for variable credit. As you gain experience, your role grows too. You may begin by learning project methods and contributing to team tasks, then progress toward greater independence, leadership, and mentoring newer students.

VIP teams bring together students from different majors and academic levels to work on meaningful, real-world challenges. Along the way, students develop skills in research, problem solving, teamwork, communication, project management, and leadership.

Why join a VIP team?

VIP can help you:

• Gain hands-on research and project experience
• Earn academic credit
• Work closely with faculty, graduate students, and peers
• Build technical and professional skills
• Develop a portfolio of meaningful project work
• Prepare for graduate or professional school
• Strengthen your resume and career readiness
• Build long-term mentoring and professional relationships

Students are expected to participate actively in their teams, attend regular meetings, complete project responsibilities, document their work, and contribute to presentations and other project outcomes.

Find Your VIP

Students from across VCU are encouraged to explore available VIP teams and identify projects that align with their interests, academic goals, and career aspirations.

Explore VIP teams and discover where you can contribute.

For Faculty

Build a sustainable student team around your work.

The Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) Program helps VCU faculty integrate undergraduate education with ongoing research, scholarship, creative activity, and community-engaged work.

Faculty lead long-term project teams that include undergraduate and graduate students at multiple academic levels. Students participate for variable academic credit and are encouraged to remain with their teams across multiple semesters, allowing them to develop increasing levels of expertise, independence, and leadership.

This model can create continuity that is difficult to achieve through short-term research experiences. Experienced students can mentor newer participants, knowledge can be carried forward from semester to semester, and faculty can build teams capable of contributing to larger and more complex projects over time.

Why lead a VIP team?

VIP can help faculty:

• Expand the scope and continuity of undergraduate involvement in their research
• Develop a pipeline of experienced student researchers
• Integrate research and experiential learning into the curriculum
• Build interdisciplinary collaborations
• Strengthen student mentoring and leadership development
• Engage students in meaningful, real-world problems
• Create opportunities for presentations, publications, and other research products
• Connect research, teaching, and institutional priorities

The VIP Program supports faculty with project development, course and syllabus planning, student recruitment, orientation, program resources, and opportunities to connect with other VIP faculty across VCU.

Faculty interested in creating a VIP team begin by consulting with the VIP Program and submitting a project proposal describing the proposed work, student learning outcomes, interdisciplinary opportunities, course structure, and plans for student engagement.

Have a research, creative, or community-engaged project that could grow with a long-term student team? Consider starting a VIP.

Contact our VIP Faculty Directors to learn more:

David Naff, Ph.D.: naffdb@vcu.edu (for faculty on the Monroe Park campus) or

Dayanjan Wijesinghe, Ph.D.: wijesingheds@vcu.edu (for faculty on the Health Sciences campus).