Programs

This hands-on program prepares students to advocate for themselves in academic and professional settings—from internships and job offers to collaborative projects. Through practical skill-building, mentorship, and networking with alumni, students gain confidence in navigating the workplace and understanding their value as future STEM professionals. We are conducting a research study to track the long-term impact of this program on students’ career readiness. 

A partnership between UMass Amherst and UMass Boston, the STEMPower Fellowship aims to diversify the pipeline of students pursuing graduate studies and careers in STEM. Undergraduate fellows are paired with faculty and graduate student mentors and participate in a supportive community that fosters academic growth, builds research experience, and increases awareness of graduate degree pathways. 

The program also works with faculty to strengthen their mentoring practices through training and self-reflection, encouraging a more holistic, individualized approach to supporting undergraduate researchers. Faculty mentors are positioned as change agents within their departments, helping to shift lab advising cultures away from one-size-fits-all models toward more inclusive, student-centered environments. 

This cohort-based program helps students develop socioemotional and mindfulness skills to manage stress, build resilience, foster social connections, and develop autonomy in designing their educational and career plans. 

IDS is expanding this experience to support community college transfer students and first-generation students as they transition into the UMass system. We are also conducting a research study to track the long-term impact of this program on student well-being, academic success, and ability to launch their early career. 

The Leadership Academy was an online (synchronous) interactive professional development program for undergraduate students in computer science and engineering. Running from 2020 to 2025, the goal of the program was to increase diversity, access, and inclusion in these fields. 

The Leadership Academy was free of cost for students. Need-based scholarships of up to $3,000 were available to offset the costs of declining paid work to attend the course, to improve Wi-Fi access, or buy equipment (tablet, camera) needed to attend the course.