Apply to the Youth Research Council
Becoming a YRC fellow gives students the opportunity to conduct research about issues they care about and be mentored and advised by CNU faculty and students on how to conduct research that speaks to their needs and builds on the strengths of youth.
Launched in the Fall of 2025, the Youth Research Council is a partnership of Christopher Newport University’s Center for Education Research and Policy, CNU’s Office of Research and Creative Activities, and the local non-profit organization, Alternatives, Inc. The program is modeled after the YRC program that was founded at George Mason University.
The Youth Research Council (YRC) is a research collaborative and community-based experiential learning innovation designed to give high school students experience in conducting and analyzing social science research data.
In this application, we will ask you to complete the following sections:
- Contact Information
- Availability
- A short essay question:
- How are you involved in your community? What issues do you really care about in your community? (You may consider family, friends, neighbors, classmates, local organizations and the like as your ‘community.’)
- Please include any relevant experience that you would bring to the YRC. Feel free to include any of the following categories or others as appropriate: Education, Work Experience, Volunteer Activities, Achievements/Awards/Certifications, Extra Curricular Activities, Additional Skills, Hobbies, Previous Research Conducted, Relevant Career Aspirations, etc.
- Prior research experience is not a requirement of this fellowship.
- Students will need to gain parental consent to participate in this program.
For additional questions, please contact cerp@cnu.edu.