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Faculty Program Participation:

The most important contribution is a guarantee of the $500 stipend for the 8-week Shadowing Period and the $2500 stipend for the 16-week Guided Research Period, a total of $3000 which may come from the lab, department, or combination thereof. Interested faculty can present a position by pledging this funding. Faculty are not required to submit a project proposal right away and may designate a graduate student within their lab as the point of contact for development of the project. The designated graduate student will serve as the mentor for the undergraduate participant and may also draft and submit the project proposal that will appear on the project registry on STEM Routes Uplift website. This project may also be advertised on the lab and/or department website; however, the position must be reserved for students who apply through STEM Routes.

Why Your Funding Is Necessary

You as faculty are crucial in making inclusive excellence at CU a reality. A key part of this work involves a cultural shift amongst faculty toward outreach efforts as a necessary step in dismantling systemic barriers to research opportunities for low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students. By offering funding exclusively for the development of these individuals, you are investing diverse future for your field.

Many first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students may be financially struggling and, therefore, cannot justify working for free. Jobs that cover living expenses often compete with time they can be dedicated to lab work. Guaranteed funding for the 8-week Shadowing Period ensures that students can dedicate time to training for a lab position, while the funding for the 16-week Guided Research Period ensure students do not need to postpone their research or work uncompensated until grants are available. Additionally, students won’t need to stop research if they are not awarded a research grant, though we strongly encourage that students apply for grants that they are eligible for. While we hope to secure funding for this program from organizations within the university, we urge you to dedicate what you can from your grants to supporting students who need it most. A very small percentage of your funding can make a lifetime of difference for a first-generation, low-income, or underrepresented undergraduate.

Graduate Mentors

Participating undergraduate students are required to meet regularly with their lab mentor. Lab graduate mentors are expected to provide the necessary guidance for the Uplift participant to achieve the goals of the 8-Week and 16-Week programs. On the other hand, STEM Routes graduate mentors will meet weekly with students for workshops that will provide guidance on preparing for a STEM career. Moreover, STEM Routes mentors provide cultural mentorship regarding challenges unique to underrepresented, low-income, and/or first-generation students, such as how to thrive in a field that they may not envision themselves belonging to. We have developed a mentorship training program to teach lab and STEM Routes graduate students culturally competent mentorship skills. Lab graduate mentors are required to attend a one-hour live training session to ensure they are equipped with skills to support an undergraduate mentee who may not be represented in the lab environment.