First Embry-Riddle Worldwide Research Scholar Highlights Academic, Career Opportunities

When Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University student Jacob Pritchard earns his undergraduate degree this spring, it will include a unique designation: Research Scholar.

Pritchard, a dual-degree student in Homeland Security and Business Technical Management, is the first Worldwide Campus scholar to earn the transcript notation. The university-wide Research Scholars program provides students with proof that they have established themselves as scholars in their chosen discipline. 

“The majority of my core classes all had research projects that needed to be completed in order to pass the class,” Pritchard said of his decision to pursue the designation.

“I saw an opportunity to ‘notarize’ and acknowledge the effort put forward in those classes. I also saw the designation as a way to showcase my abilities as a researcher to any future employer or research team.”

To earn the transcript notation, Pritchard completed research training, conducted supervised research and shared his research at conferences and the university’s Student Research Symposium. He was also required to reflect on his research experience and secure an endorsement from a research mentor.

Dr. Christina Frederick, professor of Psychology and senior faculty research fellow for PATHWAYS, which oversees the Research Scholars program for College of Arts & Sciences students, described the designation as “an opportunity for students to develop specialized research skills and professional speaking skills as they highlight their projects at local, national and international conferences.”

“A Research Scholars notation on the transcript identifies students accomplished in the process of scientific inquiry, from idea conception to presentation and publication,” she added. The program is open to students attending any Embry-Riddle campus.

For students, the program is also a valuable chance to refine skills that are highly valued in the workplace. Though the Research Scholars program requires students to complete a minimum of two terms of research, Pritchard applied his coursework to four projects — three completed in conjunction with Embry-Riddle professors or their affiliates and the last as a volunteer in his local community.

One of the highlights of those projects included being an intern at the Orion Policy Institute, where his comprehensive research on MS-13, a transnational criminal organization, was published on institute's website. The other highlight was his work with a local school district, which resulted in the redesign of the district’s continuity of operations and recovery planning.

“I took their idea of reunification efforts for parents and students and laid it out into a repeatable, actionable and systematic plan for the school district to utilize, including drills and scenarios they can work through,” he said.

For Pritchard, who is on a combined pathway to a master’s in Human Security and Resilience for accelerated completion in March 2027, the project was a way to combine his academic interests with his passion for philanthropy. “It was part of my own mission to find ways to get involved with the community and give back in a meaningful way,” he said.

Pritchard is now giving back by highlighting the program for other students, including efforts to increase its visibility through his connections with the Worldwide Student Government Association.

“I could not be prouder to see our Worldwide Campus’s first Research Scholar, especially one who is a major in our college,” Dr. Alexander Siedschlag, said dean of the Worldwide College of Arts & Sciences.“We are honored to offer this program to all interested Worldwide Campus students in support of the university’s strategic goal of fostering undergraduate discovery by integrating research as a critical element to enrich the undergraduate curriculum and spur innovation.”

“I commend Jacob for his ambitious research endeavors. Through the Research Scholars program, our connected university-wide undergraduate minor in Research Foundations and our undergraduate capstone experiences, we are delivering a trailblazing undergraduate research pathway that creates meaningful impact both within and beyond Embry-Riddle,” Siedschlag added.

Pritchard has one piece of advice for students who may be contemplating the program: “Do it! There is no downside to it, and if you are already putting in the work, why not showcase it?”

Students who are interested in earning the notation should contact their advisor for more information.