New Apprenticeship Program Trains Students to be Mentors

The 10 undergraduate students enrolled in the program took classes in the morning, usually taught by Manolis Kaparakis, director of the QAC, or by another Wesleyan faculty member. In the afternoons, the students worked as teaching assistants for faculty.

“Students were able to develop a proficiency in statistics and research methods by taking part in the apprenticeship program,” says Don Moon, dean of the Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Programs. “We expect that the program will be of real benefit to our students, both in enhancing their understanding of quantitative methods and in giving them skills that are much in demand in all walks of life.”

The projects tackled a wide range of topics. For example, math and economics major Hajin “Angela” Lee ’09 (pictured above) worked with Wendy Rayack, associate professor of economics, on a project titled “Welfare Reform and Wages in the Retail Sector.”

Madalina Ursu ’09 (pictured at left) worked with Richard Grossman, professor and chair of economics, on the topic “Creating New Irish Stock Market Indices, 1869-1929.” And Max Wu ’08 worked with Steve Stemler, assistant professor of psychology and Cynthia Matthew, visiting assistant professor of psychology, on a project titled “The Concept of Responsibility Within Organizational Structures.”

All student apprentices were financially supported, either by a QAC stipend, a faculty member’s grant, or university scholarships. Moon expects that some of the students who participated this year will work as QAC tutors during the 2007-08 academic year.

“We also hope that faculty will be able to hire some of these trained students as research assistants, thus both advancing the faculty member’s work and enabling them to work more effectively and giving the students excellent experience,” Moon says.