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Undergraduate Research & Fellowships Graduation Recognition

The University of Tennessee would like to recognize students who participate in undergraduate research and fellowships programs/experiences. Through the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships, students may apply to receive a cord or the cord & medallion to be worn during graduation.

There are two levels of recognition:

  • Excellence in Undergraduate Research and Fellowships – receives a cord
  • Distinction in Undergraduate Research and Fellowships – receives a medallion & cord

The deadline to apply for December graduation recognition is Monday, December 4, 2023, at noon.

Interested in applying for a graduation recognition from Undergraduate Research & Fellowships? All students are welcome to attend an information session on Thursday, November 16, 2023, from 4:00 – 5:00pm. Please Register Here for a Zoom link.

If you have any questions on your application or criteria met, please feel free to reach out to urf@utk.edu or request a 1-on-1 research advising appointment.

Three items from either list will qualify you for the Excellence in Undergraduate Research cord. Starred items are repeatable through multiple event participation.

Excellence in Undergraduate Research & Fellowships

  • Discovery Day – Presenter*
  • EURēCA – Presenter*
  • Annual Student Art Competition – Participant*
  • Celebration of Excellence Music Competition – Participant*
  • DRA (Departmental Research Assistantship) – Recipient
  • FRAF (Faculty Research Assistants Funding) – Recipient*
  • SURGE (Summer Undergraduate Research Group Experience) – Participant*
  • AURA (Advanced Undergraduate Research Activity) – Recipient*
  • URSA (Undergraduate Research Students’ Association) – Symposium Presenter*
  • URSA (Undergraduate Research Students’ Association) – Leadership Position
  • Nationally Competitive Fellowship – Applicant*
  • Pursuit Journal of Undergraduate Research – Reviewer
  • Pursuit Journal of Undergraduate Research – Leadership Position
  • TEDxUTK – Leadership Position
  • Completion of Honors or Senior Thesis (or planned completion by graduation date)
  • ORNL Research Internship*
  • UTK discipline specific conference presentation of your research

Two additional items from the list below (after obtaining the level of Excellence) will qualify you for a Distinction in Undergraduate Research medallion. Starred items are repeatable through multiple event participation.

Distinction in Undergraduate Research & Fellowships

Complete the form below to submit your request to receive the cord or the cord & medallion.

You must provide documentation (for example: award or acceptance letters, links to publications, screenshots, etc.) for each qualifying activity so that we can verify your eligibility in a timely manner. Please upload a single pdf that includes all of the documentation for your activities.
Criteria must be completed by the application date to be valid. To allow for verification time and ordering of materials, applications received after the deadlines posted may not be awarded the cord or medallion in time for commencement ceremonies.

Applicants will receive an email after the deadline with further pickup instructions. The verification window will occur after the application deadline but may occur sooner if applications are submitted earlier than the deadline. Additional information may be requested if needed.

Graduation Recognition Request

Name(Required)
Your @vols.utk.edu email address
Your email prefix
Your personal email where we can contact you after graduation.
When is your planned graduation month?(Required)
I am requesting to receive the following:(Required)
If verified, you will receive your recognition items prior to your graduation ceremony.
Which of these activities have you completed? (Excellence Cord)(Required)
Check all that apply
Which of these activities have you completed? (Distinction Medallion)
Check all that apply
Example: Excellence Cord: 1) Discovery Day Presenter - I presented at Discovery Day 2022, my poster was titled abc xyz, here is the link to my poster on symposium www.... 2) DRA Recipient - I received a DRA for Spring 2023, I worked with Dr. Abc, see a pdf of the email confirming my participation in the uploads below. 3) TEDxUTK Leadership Position - I was the treasurer for TEDxUTK from Spring 2020-Spring 2023, I uploaded a picture of myself with the other leaders and here is the link to the TEDxUTK website that has my name listed as treasurer www... Distinction Medallion: 4) Fellowship Recipient - I applied for and received a Fulbright ETA in the fall of 2022, I worked with Dr. DeFurio on my application, I applied to the program in Thailand, I uploaded a pdf of the email confirming that I received this award along with a picture of me in Thailand. 5) EUReCA Award Winner - I received an award for my research at EUReCA, I uploaded a picture of myself at the award ceremony holding the certificate.
Save documents as a single pdf before uploading
Max. file size: 10 MB.
Example: Dr. Abc - abc@utk.edu - DRA Recipient
Please complete the survey below regarding your experiences with undergraduate research and fellowships.(Required)
My undergraduate research and fellowships experiences contributed to my academic achievement at UT.
My undergraduate research and fellowships experiences prepared me for my post-graduation academic and career plans.(Required)
My undergraduate research and fellowships experiences prepared me for my post-graduation academic and career plans.
My undergraduate research and fellowships experiences contributed to my sense of community at UT.(Required)
My undergraduate research and fellowships experiences contributed to my sense of community at UT.
My undergraduate research and fellowships experiences contributed to my sense of personal well-being at UT.(Required)
My undergraduate research and fellowships experiences contributed to my sense of personal well-being at UT.
My undergraduate research and fellowships experiences positively contributed to my overall impression of UT.(Required)
My undergraduate research and fellowships experiences positively contributed to my overall impression of UT.
What role did undergraduate research at UT play in your development as a person, a scholar, and in your career trajectory?
What do you think all incoming students should know about doing undergraduate research?