Summer GRaPEs

Who We Are

Welcome to Summer GRaPEs: the UCR-VSU summer Graduate Research and Preparation Experiences 2022

We are a diverse group of scientists passionate about breaking down barriers in STEM.

Summer GRaPEs was a one-year project sponsored by the University of California Office of the President (UCOP) HBCU initiative, designed to improve diversity and strengthen our graduate programs by investing in undergraduates early. This program began at Virginia State University with co-PIs Drs. Sarah M. Witiak, Andrea Beyer, and Brian Sayre. During Fall 2021, we admitted three VSU students dedicated to learning more about biology, using plants as their model organisms. Then during Summer 2022, these students interned in one of several participating labs (Larios, Litt, Nagel) to partner with current graduate students, postdoctoral scientists, and lead PIs as they learned new skills. During the following fall, the students honed their projects and data as they prepared to present at the conference in Washington DC.

Costs: time, interest, commitment

Immediate Benefits:

Free travel to and from Riverside, CA
Lodging and Summer stipend provided
Fall stipend upon return to VSU to polish your work

Long-term Benefits:

Competitive funding packages (up to 4y of funding) if admitted to a University of California school
Skill development and networking for future careers (including biotechnology, medicine, agriculture)