TURC is not an isolated haven for esoteric research, but an active, growing, giving community of scholars, artists, and future leaders.
A fundamental precept of the TURC program is that all TURC students have an obligation to give something back to the community. Just as the research projects prepare students to be top contributors to their fields, so also do their service projects help prepare them to be life-long contributing citizens.
Every student in this program should contribute to the community in a substantive way, whether that be in tutoring younger students, helping in a community service organization, or getting involved in some other capacity.
Some professors leading TURC Research Teams organize group projects. Otherwise, TURC Scholars participate in service projects of their choosing. Students submit a plan for their community service when they apply to the program, and they are required to include summaries of their service when they submit their interim and final reports to the TURC Program. Applicants are encouraged to consult with the Office of Civic Engagement’s EngageTU directory for service opportunities, and they will be required to log their hours of service on the Engage TU web site. By May of 2024, the Office of Civic Engagement will create a sub-group where TURC Scholars should log their service. Except for the Faculty-led service projects, all community service should be to a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization or to an opportunity listed on the EngageTU directory. If applicants wish to pursue a community service project outside these bounds, they may apply to their Mentor and to the TFF for a waiver, if they can explain how this work constitutes meaningful service.
Questions about the TURC program? Email the TURC director, gabriel-leblanc@utulsa.edu