Engaging ASL-English Interpreting Undergraduates in Research: A Model for Student Engagement and Faculty Productivity

Engaging undergraduate ASL-English interpreting students in research yields multiple benefits beyond enhancing faculty scholarly productivity. In this innovative practices article, we first summarize scholarly literature showing that including undergraduates in research experiences supports development of career-readiness skills while simultaneously building the pipeline of future faculty. We then discuss the benefits of undergraduate research experiences and argue that research activities can be integrated throughout an interpreter education program curriculum. Using a detailed description of a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) and course-embedded project examples, we demonstrate how structured research experiences can be integrated into programs without creating additional burden for faculty or students. We provide practical implementation strategies that address common challenges while highlighting how research engagement strengthens connections to theory, professional practice, and the communities we serve.