Discovery Scholars
Experiential Learning & Mentorship for First Year Students
The Discovery Scholars Program affords first year students the opportunity to begin researching their academic area of choice by selecting from a list of faculty designed programs tailored to help first year students thrive in an engaged hands-on environment:
Discovery Scholars Application is Now Open!
Stipends
Diverse Scholars are paid a monthly stipend ($200) for the eight months of September, October, November, December, January, February, March and April. That is $1,600 total in addition to gaining invaluable research experience.
Research Experience
The Discovery Scholars program brings its students out of the classroom and immerses them into their field of expertise. These opportunities include research labs, a music hall, or Southern Colorado’s gorgeous natural landscapes.Students have an opportunity to develop close relationships with faculty members that will be part of their entire academic career.
Why Wait?
At most institutions, students have to wait 2-3 years to gain practical experience in their major program. The Discovery Scholars program brings its students out of the classroom and immerses them into their field of expertise in their first semester.
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Hasan School of Business
Faculty Mentor:Dr. Michael Wakefield, Professor
United Way ALICE Project, and the Rotary International Membership Strategic Planning -
College of Health and Education
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bethany Kies-Bolkema, Associate Professor Health Sciences
Campus and Community Health Projects -
College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
Faculty Mentor:Dr. Fran Sandmeier Associate Professor Biology
Box Turtles and TortoiseFaculty Mentor: Dr. Calie Ramos, Associate Professor Biology
Migratory SongbirdsFaculty Mentor: Dr. Amaya Garcia Costas, Associate Professor Biology
Phage HuntersFaculty Mentor: Dr. Mario Izaquirre Sierra, Assistant Professor Biology
Architecture of the Eukaryotic Nucleus: Significance of Cajal BodiesFaculty Mentor: Dr. Leonardo Bedoya-Valencia, Associate Professor MSISE
Digital Twins & AI for OR ApplicationsFaculty Mentor: Dr. Trung Duong, Associate Professor Engineering
Artificial Intelligence in Daily LifeFaculty Mentor: Dr. Hassan Faisal Assistant Professor Engineering
Plastics in Asphalt and Distracted Driving Identification -
College Of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHASS)
Faculty Mentor: Dr. David Volk, Professor of Music
Composition PerformanceFaculty Mentor: Dr. Heidi Reynolds-Stenson, Associate Professor Sociology
Police Reform
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Aaron Johnson, Lecturer Sociology
Cannabis Ethnography
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Yunhan Zhao, Associate Professor Sociology
Corruption Sentencing in China
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Michael Brisco, Assistant Professor Sociology
One Welfare
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Eddie Lucero, Professor Political Science
Citizen Participation SOCO Center for Politics and Public Affairs Project
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Lindsay “Elby” Beddes, Assistant Professor Psychology
SOAR & and Play for College StudentsFaculty Mentor: Dr. Walter “Rich” Walker, Professor Psychology
Anti-Fragility & Growth through Adversity
Donate to our Discovery Scholars Program HERE!
2025 Discovery Scholars Projects
Discovery Scholars is a mentor program that connects first year students interested in applied and basic research and scholarly activity to faculty mentors that could assist in scaffolding research opportunities.
Faculty mentors provide active mentorship within a student’s area of discipline, and mentor students through all aspects of the research/scholarly activity process, including: Design of activities, nurturing proper techniques, data collection and analysis, reporting, publication and presentation of research findings.
