The Augustana Research Institute (ARI) is seeking applications from eligible organizations to partner with the Beacom Research Fellows Program in the fall of 2022, with the deadline to apply on Sept. 1. The program provides organizations with limited resources access to research, analytics and field-specific expertise in operations and data management.
Once selected, partner organizations work with Augustana University students who have been selected as Beacom Research Fellows to complete collaborative research projects on their behalf. The fellows provide close consultation through the entire research process, from refining research questions to collecting and analyzing data, making informed decisions and reporting to stakeholders — all at no cost to the partner organization.
“Through this program, the Augustana Research Institute has been honored to come alongside mission-driven organizations and support them in their work. Beacom Fellows designed and carried out research that was instrumental in measuring the gap between child care costs and affordability in our region. They’ve also researched trends in aging and demographic change, as well as interviewing service providers across several states to support Active Generations’ strategic planning,” said Dr. Suzanne Smith, associate vice president of enterprise data analytics and ARI.
Partner organizations are selected through a competitive application process based on the potential for the Beacom Research Fellows Program to contribute to the organization’s mission and Sioux Falls community. Eligible organizations include government agencies, nonprofit organizations and social entrepreneurs that strive to improve the quality of life in Sioux Falls.
The Beacom Research Fellows Program was initially launched as a 2-year pilot program in 2021, and later endowed by Miles and Lisa Beacom, of Sioux Falls. Since then, the program has helped area organizations make more of an impact on their communities.
“Beacom Fellows bring a range of skills, from data science to conducting interviews and surveys to policy analysis. Whether you need to collect data to bolster a grant application, design a program evaluation or better understand community needs, this program can help. You’ll also be helping Augustana students by providing a unique learning opportunity that builds research skills and professionalism, as well as exposes the students, who hail from around the world, to the great work organizations are doing in our region,” said Smith.
To learn more and apply to become a partner organization of the Beacom Research Fellows Program, visit augie.edu/BeacomFellows.