Sponsor A Student
Let UROP students help you to jump start a new research project or progress on one of your current projects!
Sponsor Eligibility
Your are eligible to sponsor a UROP student if you are affiliated with the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor campus as a tenure track faculty member, research scientist, post doctoral fellow, librarian, academic administrator, and and/or professional staff member in all schools and colleges as well as research centers, museums, institutes and hospitals. Current sponsors are also encouraged to identify colleagues who may wish to sponsor a student(s). All faculty, research scientists and Fellows new to the University of Michigan will be sent an invitation to become a research sponsor.
Community Partners: UROP also welcomes project applications from professionals working in the greater Ann Arbor community and/or community based organizations with an identified research need and who would like to sponsor a UROP student.
Community Based Research Organizations
If you are a community based organization interested in having a UROP student assist with a research project, you are eligible to submit a project application. The research project should take place in a community setting; should be relevant and meaningful to the community and the organization; should be community driven; and should directly benefit the agency/organization beyond the scope of the fellowship program. When appropriate, research can take place at both the university and in the community. There should also be a strong learning component for the student researcher.
Contact Alba Rueda-Riedle at avrueda@umich.edu
Your Role as a Sponsor
Once you have hired a student, you will orient the student to the project, provide training, schedule their time and provide work for them each week. You will monitor their work and sign timesheets every two weeks. You should meet with them on a regular basis to follow their progress and to give feedback, provide mentoring and provide UROP with a midterm progress report and final term grade report to UROP.
UROP Students
UROP students are first and second year undergraduates who come with an enthusiasm for a research experience and a wide variety of skills and talents. UROP admits students through an application process from March – June. In September, UROP students will contact you to request an interview for the project you have listed with us. UROP students work 6-12 hours per week depending on the requirements of the sponsor and project. Read more about hiring a student.
UROP students can undertake a riskier or shorter project that could be the basis for a larger study, can begin gathering data and materials for projects you want to start but have not had time to start, can conduct a complementary study that might not otherwise be done and can inform future directions, can use new instrumentation or pilot new equipment, surveys, or software for future use in your work, can help you gather and evaluate materials for courses, books, exhibits, and/or can use and develop computer skills for webpage development, instructional technology projects and technology support.
UROP Support for Sponsors
UROP also provides a wide range of support services to you, including
1. UROP pays work study wages for qualified students or offers academic credit for the research experience. UROP will manage all employment paperwork, reporting of time worked and course registration.
2. UROP sponsors skill building workshops to provide students with the tools to apply to your project.
3. Students attend research seminars to explore research issues in various disciplines.
4. Supplementary research funding is available to cover small research related expenses.
5. Peer Advisors are assigned to each UROP student who serve as a liaison between you and your student.
How UROP Helps your Research
What we know about the impacts of UROP
We know through a longitudinal assessment of our program that undergraduate research does the following:
• improves the retention of students, especially African American men
• increases student engagement in learning and the campus
• develops students who become more proactive about their education
• develops research competency in a discipline
• facilitates students decision to pursue graduate and professional school
Read more about UROP Assessment and Evaluation
