SOAR FAQs
Here's a list of common questions about SOAR. They are in no particular order. If you don't see your question addressed, feel free to send it to the chair of the SOAR Advisory Committee (lindsey.leker@vcsu.edu).
How long should a project last?
Ultimately, a project's length is up to the student and the mentor. You have until you graduate to finish your SOAR project. Many students do their project in a semester, though others stretch theirs across multiple semesters. The committee generally recommends a project be about 60-100 hours of work.
Do I have to have a certain GPA or number of credit hours to apply?
No. Any current VCSU student can apply. Your application consists solely of your project proposal and mentor recommendation form.
Can I turn in my application early?
Please do. The committee realizes that the first Mondays in November and April can be busy times of the semester. You can apply at any point before a given semester's deadline.
When will I hear back?
The committee aims to have responses for applicants around two to three weeks after the deadline. Once applications are submitted, they have to be collected, distributed to committee members, assessed, and then discussed. Once all proposals are evaluated, then the chair of the committee will notify applicants of their results through email and/or a OneStop ticket, providing feedback on their proposals.
How is my application judged?
Once you submit your application through the OneStop, a OneStop ticket is created, which will be used to correspond with you. After your mentor emails their mentor form to the SOAR Advisory Committee chair, the chair will collect all the applications and distribute them to members of the SOAR Advisory Committee. Application Proposals are scored according to the SOAR Rubric (see Information for Applicants page), and the combined averages of scores are shared with the committee to start discussion on whether a proposal will be awarded a grant or not.
Is there a certain number of sources I need to include in my proposal and bibliography?
The SOAR committee does not have a "magic number" of sources, though you want to show that you've thoroughly researched the topic you want to research. Two or three sources is probably too few. Five to seven may be a good baseline; just make sure to show how they are connected to your project.
If accepted, how or when do I get paid?
As part of the application process, you and your mentor set up benchmarks for the project. If your project is awarded a grant, you will then revise those benchmarks and determine how to distribute the $1,000 across those benchmarks.
Students will be paid directly through Accounts Payable. Once students accomplish their first benchmark, they will need to complete W9 and submit it along with and a Verification of Services form to the SOAR chair. For each subsequent benchmark, the student need only submit a new Verification of Services form.
For SOAR projects awarded before the Fall of 2025, students are paid through VCSU Payroll. Mentors have to complete a Personnel Action Form for each benchmark.
How can I receive the $250 for materials and expenses?
Generally, expenses are reimbursed. For non-P-card purchases, you and your mentor should forward your receipt(s) to the SOAR committee chair, who will then forward it on to the business office.
Alternatively, your faculty mentor can use their Purchasing card (P-card) and, when it comes time to reconcile the bill, have the Business Office charge the SOAR account. For questions about this process, ask the SOAR chair or Nickki Brockopp [nichole.brockopp@vcsu.edu].
I want to travel to a conference and it will cost more than $250. What should I do?
Unfortunately, the SOAR funds only cover $250 for expenses. We encourage you and your mentor to find alternative funds to help pay for conference or presentation travel. We do not recommend using the $1,000 to cover those expenses, but ultimately that is up to the student.
Who can be my mentor? How do I find one?
Any faculty member currently employed at VCSU can serve as a SOAR mentor.
The committee generally recommends starting by asking faculty members who know you. You can also look at the list of SOAR Advisory Committee members, which includes their disciplines, to ask their recommendations.
Does my project need to go through the Institutional Review Board (IRB) process?
Research proposals involving human participants, or their personal identifiable information, requires approval from VCSU’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) before the research begins.You do not need approval to submit a grant proposal, but your application should acknowledge whether you will go through the IRB review process. Your faculty mentor should be able to help with this.
The use of human subjects in research is governed by the United States Department of Health and Human Services to protect them from any potential harm in the research process. More information is available from the following links:
Additional IRB-related questions can be sent to the chair of the IRB, Dr. Kerry Gregoryk (kerry.gregoryk@vcsu.edu).
If my proposal is not accepted, can I apply again?
Yes! If your apply and your proposal is not accepted, your notice letter will contain feedback from the committee on what they saw in your application and how it can be improved. You can reapply in the upcoming application cycle, provided you will not have graduated before the award period.
Can I do multiple SOAR projects?
Sure - just not at the same time. You would have to go through the application process again.
My project is taking longer than expected; can I get another grant to finish the project?
No. Part of doing research is managing time expectations. The same project cannot receive multiple grants, but if you want to do a new project based off a previous project, you are welcome to submit a proposal for it.
Can two people both receive money for a joint project?
Sometimes, though grants are awarded to the project itself. In most cases, this means both students would split the $1,000. The committee contemplates this on a case-by-case basis. Depending on the nature of the work involved, a faculty mentor can make the case to the committee that both students should be awarded a full grant, but there is no guarantee that the committee will agree.
I'm graduating this semester and just developed a stellar idea for a SOAR project. Can I get paid for work done this semester?
Like most grants, SOAR is subject to specific deadlines and time frames. SOAR funding begins the semester after the proposal is submitted (i.e., a spring awardee can begin receiving funding in the subsequent fall semester). While it's always great for you to have ideas for research, SOAR can only take applications for research that will be done in a subsequent semester. You can do some initial work before you submit your proposal, but you cannot be paid for it retroactively.
Return to:
SOAR Overview
Information for Applicants
Information for Faculty