Nurturing Independent Learning in the Undergraduate Student in History: A Faculty-Student Mentoring Experience

Four undergraduates and a history professor planned for and carried out research in the Belgian State Archives in an attempt to answer the call from the Boyer Commission's seminal report that identified the need for meaningful undergraduate research opportunities in the American higher education system. Our faculty-student mentoring experience provided an opportunity to develop practical skills for historical research. Success of the mentoring project was determined through ongoing dialog and through analysis of student reflective essays. While an international project of this scope may not be feasible for many institutions, mentoring projects in domestic or even local archives could be similarly beneficial.