The application window for the Independent Study and Mentorship program is now open.  

Applications for ISM are now open for rising juniors and seniors, and will remain open until Jan. 30.

ISM is a program that allows students to take learning beyond the classroom by researching topics, alongside professional mentors. 

“It provides a real-world environment for them to practice soft skills like professional communication, networking, and public speaking,” ISM teacher Courtney Benson said. “They also gain valuable feedback from attendees and get a moment to celebrate their hard work.”

Beyond the research and project, ISM can be a valuable learning experience in other ways according to senior Krish Kumar.

“I think ISM helped make me a much more confident person, I got a lot better at public speaking, and it also made me realize that I wanted to go into engineering instead of cyber security,” Kumar said. “I also got a lot of hands on skills,working with a mentor, understanding how to interview professionals, and understanding what goes into the research process”

For senior Sydnee Fry, ISM can also provide students with a valuable resume entry when it comes time to apply for college. 

“It really helped me build my college resume, I mean I’ve gotten into so many colleges just because of that, and a lot of honors programs,” Fry said. “I know plenty of people in the ISM program that are doing a lot of really cool research there working with NASA professionals and UT southwestern, I worked with UT Southwestern, I did shadowing 3 times a week, I got a lot of clinical experience. And honestly it’s just such a great experience to figure out what you want to do in your life.”