Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) at the University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, MI | 1999

The official biography below was current at the time of the award. See the organization's website for its latest information.

In the 11 years since UROP was launched to improve undergraduate education and minority student retention and academic achievement, it has evolved from serving 14 students to more than 850 first- and second-year students each year. The centerpiece of this innovative program is the creation of research partnerships between first- and second-year students and faculty researchers. UROP has been successful in its mission to weave minority students into the fabric of the campus community at an early point in their academic careers. To date, some 4,000 students have participated in UROP; more than 2,100 have been students of color. Success indicators include an attrition rate lower than that for university-wide underrepresented students and a mean Grade Point Average 6% higher than that of students in a matched control group.