Development and Assessment of an Undergraduate Research Program at a Two-Year, Rural, Hispanic-Serving Institution: The Essential Role of Partnerships

Yakima Valley College—a two-year, Hispanic-serving institution in south-central Washington state—partnered with four-year universities, agricultural centers, businesses, and federal and state agencies to develop a streamlined undergraduate research experience in which students work closely with a faculty mentor in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) field on summer projects of 120 hours each. Assessment metrics reveal high transfer, graduation, and/or continued enrollment rates for research participants as well as increased student perceptions in thinking and working like a scientist, personal gains related to research work, and skills. Faculty also benefited as indicated by high rates of return to the program. This article reviews the importance of multiple stakeholders in program development, including the essential role of university and community partnerships.