Here, inquisitive students work alongside faculty and staff mentors to pursue original research that adds new knowledge and understanding to all academic fields. Through these hands-on projects, students learn more about the world — and about themselves.

• Each spring, hundreds of students present the results of their research projects at Hope’s annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity. In 2024, 254 students presented 125 projects at the Celebration.
• Faculty are consistently awarded funding for their research and scholarship from external agencies and foundations. From July 2023–June 2024, faculty and staff were awarded over $9.8 million to pursue more than 50 projects on topics ranging from the mechanisms of neural regeneration to psychological constructs and associations with spiritual structure and growth.

These collaborations contribute to deeper knowledge in every discipline. And they make Hope a national leader in undergraduate research at liberal arts colleges. Check out the research opportunities currently available to students. 

Hope’s on-campus research events and programs showcase and support students, faculty and staff:

Van Wylen Library

Between the college’s extensive in-house collection of materials and the easy to access online catalogs and databases, the Van Wylen Library is the perfect starting spot for any research. Use the library’s research tools.

Faculty Research 

Hope College offers pre- and post-award assistance to faculty and staff to support academic scholarship, faculty development, research and curriculum. Visit the Office of Sponsored Research Programs.

Celebration of Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity

With over 250 students participating each year, the Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity is an annual opportunity to showcase collaborative student-faculty research projects.

Global Water Research Institute

The Global Water Research Institute enables water-centered research that can transform the health and well-being of local, regional and global communities. Our interdisciplinary, collaborative student and faculty research provides improved understanding of water and equips communities to make data-driven decisions about their water use. 

Day1 Research Communities

Gain new skills, work alongside engaged professors and peers, and tackle real-world problems through research that begins on day one of your freshman year! Learn more about Day1 Research Communities.

Frost Center for Data and Research

The Frost Research Center and its Office of Institutional Research provide Hope College and other clients with diverse resources and analysis capabilities while engaging in all aspects of the research process.

Center for Leadership

Through classes, consulting and incubators, the Center for Leadership provides support and resources to all Hope students looking to co-create and validate social and economic business ventures.

Klooster Center for Excellence in Writing

Collaborating with Van Wylen Library research librarians, the Klooster Center for Excellence in Writing provides assistance and instruction to students across the entire research and writing process.

Joint Archives of Holland

The Joint Archives of Holland actively collect, interpret, care for and make available archival collects from Hope College, Western Theological Seminary and local government.

Van Raalte Institute

Located in the Theil Research Center, the A.C. Van Raalte Institute offers a collection of research focusing on the Dutch and Dutch Americans.

Researching. Educating. Leading.

Hope College has the numbers to prove it.