Playing “catch-up”: How targeted summer research experiences strengthen the career pathways of underrepresented students in the humanities and social sciences

As institutions of higher education in the United States continue to address the legacies of exclusion that have limited educational opportunities for students of color, leaders across academia, government, and the private sector are called upon to implement meaningful remedies that increase engagement. The Leadership Alliance Mellon Initiative (LAMI) is one such program in the U.S. that addresses the underrepresentation of aspiring researchers in the humanities and social sciences. This article examines whether undergraduates with no prior research experience appear to “catch-up” to peers with earlier research exposure through an intensive summer research program. Findings suggest that students without prior research experiences achieve comparable outcomes in research skill development, researcher identity, self-efficacy, and future career planning, positioning both groups as equally competitive graduate school applicants. Long-term data further show similar graduate school matriculation rates, suggesting that structured, equity-oriented research experiences can mitigate disparities in preparation and access.