Since its inception in 2010, the Campus Office of Undergraduate Research Initiatives (COURI) at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) has grown from a small office in the College of Science with one full time and one half-time employees directing a small internally funded program for 10 students to a campus operation with 11 full time staff members and 4 student assistants managing multiple externally funded programs impacting hundreds of students. What started with a concrete idea to grow the practice based on models from other national universities had to be quickly adjusted to the reality of an institution with a 67% Pell grant eligible student population, the majority of whom are first generation college goers and work part time to support themselves and their families. This presentation will discuss the various programs under COURI’s direction, how support from the high administration was achieved, how circumstances and institutional need molded the structure of the office and its initiatives, the importance of effective internal and external faculty partnerships, how the programs are impacting the university, the region and the nation, and COURI's sustainability plans.

Dreams, realities and strong contributions to diversity in STEM: Impact of an undergraduate research office at a Hispanic serving institution

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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