Donations support student-faculty partnerships in all fields of study.
History of Engagement
CU Boulder has an expansive history of undergraduate research dating to the creation of the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) in 1986.
A significant body of scholarship has emerged since and continues to demonstrate the value of broadening participation and involving students early.
The funding provided by UROP is critical to ensuring equitable access by eliminating one of the most significant barriers to participation—resources and flexibility.
Transformative Learning
With well-documented benefits from persistence and resilience to belonging and graduation, engagement can be transformative.
The Council on Undergraduate Research notes how engagement prepares students to meet the needs of employers in the changing future of work.
Students will need critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration and communication—all learning outcomes from research.
Strategic Alignment
UROP represents an opportunity to support student-centered education that makes the most of CU Boulder’s global leadership in research and creative production.
The Academic Futures report recommends that “colleges should make available research experiences...and students should be strongly encouraged to take advantage.”
The IDEA Plan calls on the university “to increase the accessibility of high-impact programming (study abroad, internships, undergraduate research).”
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The university’s commitment to anti-racism cornerstones our programming, and we are well-positioned to contribute to long-term goals of diversity, equity and inclusion.
With continued efforts to diversify our programs and student participants, we provide essential, experiential learning.
We also help ensure their identities are reflected in the academic community by providing pathways for historically minoritized students to enter faculty ranks.