Oakland University is pleased to announce that we have obtained support from the American Heart Association for a summer undergraduate research fellowship called AHA@OU. This program is designed to expose students to cutting-edge cardiovascular research. AHA@OU will provide each fellow with a $6,000 summer stipend, with up to $3,000 allowance for conference travel. 

AHA fellows will be mentored by two OU faculty members to participate in one of five collaborative projects (outlined below).

To apply, please refer to the Application Materials and Checklist section below. Applications for the 2025 cycle are due on February 28th, 2025. Awardees will be notified by March 15th, 2025.

*The AHA SURE program has a separate deadline of March 22nd, 2025

Congratulations to our AHA 2025 SURP fellows:

Nadia Abdelhady (Tawfik), Abigail Reyes (Villa-Diaz), Emily Rossello (Figueiredo), Arina Rodionova (Westrick), Vanessa Huynh (Wu), Julia Schoen (Wu), Beth Esho (Avery)

And to our AHA 2025 SURE scholars:

 Enyimpa Nkrumah (Al-Shabrawey), Gabriela Ferraz (Figueiredo), Elismary Crespo (Washington)

Eligibility: Any undergraduate student (including recent graduates within 8 months) can apply. Applicants are evaluated based on a combination of academic performance, their potential to perform research as evidenced by letters of recommendation, and the importance of the fellowship to the student's career path/decision. Previous research experience is considered but not required. Students from groups underrepresented in science or come from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Application checklist: To apply, send the following materials to Prof. Wu (colinwu@oakland.edu) by Feb 28th, 2026.

• Download and complete the Application Cover Page that describes your 1st and 2nd choices of Projects (see above). Include the names and contact information of two people who will submit your letters of recommendation.

• 1-page Personal Statement (500 words maximum) that discusses your career goals, research interests, relevant coursed-based or research-based experience, and any challenges/hardships you have faced in your academic training.

• A copy of your academic transcript (unofficial copy is fine).

• Identify two people who would be able to provide you with an excellent 1-page letter of recommendation. Include the names and email addresses of your references in the cover page. Please instruct them to submit their letters to Prof. Wu by the application deadline. 

Selection Process

Applications will be holistically evaluated to select students with the potential for a career in cardiovascular research. Applicants will not be simply ranked by classroom performance or research experience. Personal characteristics such as communication skills, motivation, tenacity, resilience, and intellectual curiosity are essential for research success and will be carefully considered. We expect to notify awardees by mid-March so that the students can plan for their summer housing arrangements. 

Additional program activities include: Didactic core curriculum lectures, bi-weekly meetings among participants and mentors, workshops in the appropriate and ethical usage of animals in research, workshops in grant writing, networking opportunities with world leaders in cardiovascular sciences and medicine, opportunities to present in progress research results to colleagues and faculty, participation in weekly laboratory meetings of mentoring faculty. AHA fellows will present their work in a Research Symposium at the end of the program. They will also share their results at the AHA Scientific Sessions meeting in the fall. 

For useful tips to make the most out of your research experiences, visit the Undergrad in the Lab website.