In-Person Program
Make Clemson Connections
A Summer Research Experience on Campus
EUREKA! participants in the in-person program are immersed in the Clemson experience for 5 weeks. They are given several opportunities to get to know their fellow EUREKANs, while also exploring Clemson University campus and the surrounding community.
In the past, our in-person EUREKAns have taken a tour of the Clemson football facilities, been whitewater rafting, and participated in cultural and sporting events on and around University campus.
Students also get a head start on campus living, as they will be living in campus housing and getting to know campus through a variety of activities, including scavenger hunts.
The 2025 in-person itinerary and project list are still being developed, but feel free to explore those from 2024 below.
Not sure if you can make it to campus this summer? Explore our online delivery option!
Timeline
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Application open for EUREKA! 2025 | April 1 |
| Application due date (including $50 application fee) | May 4 (11:59 p.m.) |
| Notification of admission to EUREKA! | Week of May 20 |
| Program fees due (electronic payment RECEIVED, not postmarked) and participation forms completed and submitted | June 1 |
| Move-in and opening dinner | June 27 |
| Move out | August 2 |
| EUREKA! Poster Forum |
Friday of Family Weekend |
Explore Clemson and its Surrounding Communities!
Meet Fellow Tigers
Get to know fellow incoming first-year Honors students, building connections that, for many of our EUREKA! alumni, can last throughout (and beyond!) your undergraduate experience.
You will also make key campus connections, including with faculty mentors and key campus contacts, such as in the University's Center for Career and Professional Development, which has consistently been recognized by the Princeton Review as one of the top 10 career services programs in the country - including #1 Best Career Services in 2022.
Get Started on Research
Working as part of a team or one-on-one, EUREKA! gives students the chance to engage early and start a path toward their next great discovery.
Many of the participating students continue their projects throughout their undergraduate years. We hope their enthusiasm for research will encourage their peers to follow their lead to build an exciting and productive environment for undergraduate research, scholarship, and discovery at Clemson University.
Take Shared Adventures
Although your five weeks on campus will be focused on your research, we also make time for you to familiarize yourself with Clemson, through a series of team-building events.
EUREKA! adventures are planned by your counselors, who are also program alumni. These activities help you bond with your cohort while helping to ease your transition to your new home at Clemson.
Program Fees and Policies
Program participants are held to local, state, and federal laws as well as Clemson University's alcohol and drug policy. The EUREKA! program has a ZERO TOLERANCE policy concerning drugs and alcohol.
Students found in violation of these laws and policy will be dismissed from the program. No program refunds will be issued for dismissed students.
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Program Fee
EUREKA! program fees are collected online. If you are selected to participate in the program, program fees are due on June 1, 2025.
Program fees for the in-person option include:
- Application fee ($50)
- Program fee (TBD for residential or TBD for commuter)
No application fee refunds.
Please note that no refunds are given to any student expelled from the EUREKA! program.
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Attendance Policy
Students are expected to attend required EUREKA! academic activities. The in-person program option is an immersive experience, whereas the online program offers more location flexibility and requires less time each day. Please keep this difference in time commitment in mind when applying.
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Orientation
You must complete first-year orientation modules and meet with your Academic Advisor before the start of the program. You should register for orientation as instructed by the Office of Orientation (you will receive registration instructions via email).
Meet the 2024 In-person Counselors!
EUREKA! counselors are Honors students who provide care and support for the program participants on a daily basis, while also serving as role models on and off campus. 2025 EUREKA! counselors are still being determined but you can get to know the 2024 counselors below!
Abbey Grace Pickrel
Hello, everyone! My name is Abbey Grace Pickrel and I am the Head Counselor for the 2024 in-person EUREKA! program. I am a rising sophomore from Spartanburg, South Carolina and I major in bioengineering. During my time in the 2023 virtual EUREKA! program, I worked with Dr. Luo on creeping bentgrass genetic engineering research to learn how manipulating certain genes affect plant resistance to abiotic environmental factors, through the College of Science. Since this experience, I have continued research with Dr. Luo throughout my first year, and plan to continue this research in the future. In addition to research, I am involved with the Dixon Fellows program, Honors Ambassadors, FCA, Biological Sciences Honor Society, and a sorority.
EUREKA! prepared me so much for life on campus by providing an opportunity to gain research experience early, as well as a smaller community and support system within Clemson! I was always very interested and took part in research throughout high school, so I knew I wanted to participate in EUREKA! for the program's very unique and academically stimulating experience. Participating in this program was truly one of the best decisions I made before coming to Clemson, and it allowed me to continue to grow intellectually throughout the summer and also become accustomed to the expectations of college level research. Along with the intellectual side of EUREKA!, there is the incredible social aspect where many memories are made as well as the advantage of having built relationships which transfer to life on campus. I strongly encourage incoming Honors students to apply, even if you are only slightly interested, because this program has shaped my Clemson experience in such a positive and impactful way. If you have any questions about my experience feel free to contact me and I am so excited to meet all of the EUREKA! 2024 participants this summer!
Makenna Lankford
Hey, everyone! My name is Makenna Lankford and I am a rising sophomore from Charleston, South Carolina, and I am majoring in chemistry and minoring in political and legal theory. During my time in the 2023 EUREKA! Program, I worked in Dr. Michael Sehorn's lab, which I have been so fortunate to continue throughout the school year. Our research focuses on homologous recombination and DNA repair, which involves cloning DNA repair genes and using PCR to introduce mutations into them. I absolutely adored my time in EUREKA! and cannot recommend it enough.
EUREKA! was the perfect opportunity to get a head start on college. I got to get to know campus, get involved in research and find a lab, and perhaps most importantly, I got to meet people and make friends. The friendships I made during EUREKA! are some of the strongest of my life, and I am so grateful to have come into college with a built-in community. I was very apprehensive coming into college, and EUREKA! was a great decision to ease that apprehension and get my future started on the right track. I cannot wait to meet all of you, and if you have any questions, please reach out!
Ashton McEntarffer
Hello, everyone! My name is Ashton McEntarffer and I’m a rising sophomore from Greenville, South Carolina on my way to completing a major in Computer Science. When I participated in EUREKA! last summer, I worked with Dr. Mert Pesé to research Voltage Based Identification Systems (which is a security method for vehicle microcontrollers) and how we could use physical layer characteristics, such as voltage features, to make it more efficient and precise. I continued that research through this year and have presented it at the Network and Distributed System Security Symposium (NDSS), as well as started new projects with Dr. Mert Pesé. It’s safe for me to say that EUREKA! was definitely the most amazing opportunity for me as an incoming student.
As someone who has always loved science and technology, EUREKA! was the perfect way for me to start my life here at Clemson. Being able to meet like-minded people who love the scientific process and working on real world problems is something that I’ve always wanted to do, and the friends and memories I made along the way made my experience truly unforgettable. EUREKA! taught me so much about what it takes to be a researcher and a young professional, and has provided me with opportunities that I never would have thought were possible before. I encourage anyone who might be interested to apply. You won’t regret it! I look forward to another great year of EUREKA! and can’t wait to see all the amazing things that we will do!
