MLWGS will be on a 2-hour delayed opening on Wednesday, January 17, 2024. Stayed tuned for updates.
One student at podium. Caption reads life would be boring without learning

Senior Seminars and Mentorships

Senior Seminars and Mentorships provide wonderful opportunities for students to explore areas of personal interest and complete their senior research requirement.

Whether participating in a seminar or a mentorship, students engage in field-based research, create a product, write a research paper, and present at Senior Showcase. Students earn two VCU credits (pass/fail) in Research Methods upon successful completion of all requirements of the Senior Seminar/Mentorship Program.

Seminars

School-based research seminars are guided by an MLWGS faculty facilitator or a professional community facilitator and are structured around a broad organizing theme of mutual interest. Seminar students undertake a research project and write a paper on a topic of interest related to the seminar theme and that is approved by the seminar instructor. Each seminar group also works together as a class to create a professional presentation for Showcase.

The 2019-2020 Seminars are:

  • American Dream in Film and Literature
  • Digital Video
  • History and Sabermetrics of Baseball
  • Laboratory Techniques for the 21st Century
  • Music Production and Recording
  • Photojournalism in the Digital Age
  • Revival and Revolution in Southern Africa

Mentorships

Students desiring a more individual study of a field of interest may pursue a mentorship off of the MLWGS campus, meeting each Friday with the MLWGS Mentorship Coordinator to discuss their progress. Students electing this approach must complete a minimum of 115 hours of field experience with all documentation and assessments required for a passing mark in the Mentorship Program, complete a minimum of 25 hours meeting with the Mentorship Coordinator on Fridays to ensure all activities and assessments are completed, and complete a research project consisting of the research process, a product, research paper and professional presentation at Showcase. 

In recent years, mentorships have taken place at:

  • VCU Health System Neurosurgery Department
  • University of Richmond Department of History
  • Richmond City Circuit Court
  • Federal Public Defender’s Office
  • Richmond Times-Dispatch
  • Science Museum of Virginia
  • Greater Richmond Convention Center
  • HKS Architecture
  • Price Studio
  • Media General
  • Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

For additional program information contact Mr. Les Cook, Coordinator of Mentorship and Seminar Programs.