March 21, 2007

LOGAN, Utah - Utah State softball player Jill Bruins has recently been accepted to the Master's of Survey Research Program at the University of Connecticut. Bruins is one of only nine to receive the prestigious scholarship.

Bruins, a senior pitcher from Bremerton, Wash. (Klahowya Secondary), will be graduating with a double major in marketing and economics from Utah State this May, and will begin her graduate assistantship at UConn in August.

"I was really excited getting accepted," Bruins said. "To have the tuition waiver and the opportunity to work with the excellent faculty there is definitely a tremendous honor."

The Master of Survey Research Program (MSR) provides students with a dynamic approach to the practice of survey research and related methodologies.

Each year the program selects between eight and 16 students. This year, Bruins was one of only nine students that the program accepted out of about 18 applications. Applicants are selected on their strong quantitative ability as evidence of a strong GRE score and strong academic record as evidence of undergraduate course work. Applicants' research potential, prior experience and letters of recommendation are also considered during the application process. Yearly UConn offers a number of competitive merit-based financial graduate assistantships, one of which went to Bruins this year. Graduate assistants receive a tuition waiver, health benefits and a stipend, and work on survey or policy projects in the Department.

The MSR program takes a multidisciplinary approach to the study of survey research, drawing on the fields of public policy, political science, psychology, sociology, communications and marketing. As a result, it serves students with diverse interests and backgrounds. Graduates of the program work in the market research , public policy, political and social science arenas. It is designed to provide both a comprehensive understanding of the field of survey research and the specific skills necessary to become a successful survey researcher.

Market research can certainly be linked to many athletic-related challenges as well as consumer-related preferences- for example: which golf club do consumers prefer and why? How does the public feel about the recent change in major baseball uniforms? Which fishing pole is better and why?

Bruins currently has a 2-2 record with a 3.60 ERA in eight appearances with 15 strikeouts on the season.

Utah State is presently 9-17 on the year, surpassing last season's win total (8-38). The Aggies are off until traveling to Orem, Utah to take on in-state foe Utah Valley State in a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 27 at 1 p.m. (MT). USU then opens Western Athletic Conference action with a three-game series at preseason conference favorite and defending regular-season champ Fresno State on Friday and Saturday, March 30-31.

Utah State's home opener for the head coach Candi Letts era is Tuesday, April 3 when the Aggies open at Johnson Field against in-state foe Utah Valley State. Admission to all home USU softball games is free to the public.