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PROGRAMS &
OPPORTUNITIES

Empowering futures

The Vergnano Institute for Inclusion is committed to fostering connection and passion in the engineering and STEM fields. Our programs are designed to facilitate the outreach, recruitment, retention, and overall success of all members of the College of Engineering community.

Use the dropdown menu below to select what type of program/organization you are interested in. Click the image to visit the program/organization's page.

Undergraduate Programs

jonathon the husky

Sophomore Summer Bridge

We prepare students finishing their first year in Engineering, Pre-Engineering, or other related STEM fields for future courses and opportunities. Current sophomores and non-degree students may also find value in this program.

From May 24th - Jun 18th, you will prepare for upcoming challenging courses, develop internship/research skills, and form a productive community amongst valuable figures and peers.

NEXT

We proudly present the "Nurturing Excellence and experience in Technology" program in collaboration with The Cigna Group to support your professional development this summer! This program is based on real-world challenges and insights from The Cigna Group employees, ensuring practical, industry-relevant learning and engagement.

mentor and mentee at a table

VII Mentor-Mentee

The VII Mentor-Mentee program is an initiative designed to support newer engineering students by pairing them with experience mentors.

Work for a Program

Share your passion for engineering with the next generation of students through our programs.

Student Organizations

engineering ambassadors

Engineering Ambassadors

Engineering Ambassadors engage a diverse student population, our university and the greater community in activities that inspire them to explore a variety of creative solutions to the problems facing humanity.

We develop ourselves as passionate engineers of the future with the power to express engineering concepts through fundamentals of science and mathematics.

engineering without borders

Engineering Without Borders

Engineers Without Borders USA (EWB-USA) is a nonprofit humanitarian organization established to support community-driven development programs worldwide through partnerships that design and implement sustainable engineering projects, while creating transformative experiences that enrich global perspectives and create responsible leaders. EWB-USA's vision is a world in which the communities we serve have the capacity to sustainably meet their basic human needs. Today, more than two billion people lack access to the most basic things -- clean drinking water, adequate sanitation, reliable passage to local markets and more.

national society of black engineers

National Society of Black Engineers

As a whole, members here at UConn strongly feel adhering to this mission a priority, thus our list of chapter goals:

  • Stimulate and develop student interest in the various engineering disciplines
  • Strive to increase AND RETAIN the number of minority students studying engineering at both the undergraduate and graduate levels
  • Encourage members to seek advanced degrees in engineering or related fields and to obtain professional engineering registrations
  • Promote public awareness of engineering and the opportunities for Blacks AND other minorities in that profession
  • Function as a representative body on issues and developments that affect the careers of Black Engineers
Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers

Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers

Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE) – prepares Asian heritage scientists and engineers for success in the global business world through networking events with executives from top organizations, professional development conferences, industry panels, and workshops for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as young professionals.

society of hispanic professional engineers

Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers

The SHPE University of Connecticut Student Chapter was founded in 1997 and was acknowledged as a university organization on campus becoming a part of a national organization the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), which has been committed to helping our college community fill a growing need for Engineers and Scientists. Due to lack of members slowly the chapter diminished.

society of women engineers

Society of Women Engineers

Our mission is to support the professional interests of female engineering students as they pursue a degree here at UConn. SWE awards an estimated $500,000 in scholarship money every year. Visit the National website to apply Be sure to get involved with our section! We host many Professional, Outreach, and Social events throughout each semester. Check out the National website on how to become a collegiate member!

computer science

ColorStack

A supportive organization created to help minorities in Computer Science Students to complete their degrees and gain rewarding technical careers.

Graduate Programs

Work for a Program

Share your passion for engineering with the next generation of students through our programs.

Student Organizations

national society of black engineers

National Society of Black Engineers

As a whole, members here at UConn strongly feel adhering to this mission a priority, thus our list of chapter goals:

  • Stimulate and develop student interest in the various engineering disciplines
  • Strive to increase AND RETAIN the number of minority students studying engineering at both the undergraduate and graduate levels
  • Encourage members to seek advanced degrees in engineering or related fields and to obtain professional engineering registrations
  • Promote public awareness of engineering and the opportunities for Blacks AND other minorities in that profession
  • Function as a representative body on issues and developments that affect the careers of Black Engineers
society of hispanic professional engineers

Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers

The SHPE University of Connecticut Student Chapter was founded in 1997 and was acknowledged as a university organization on campus becoming a part of a national organization the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), which has been committed to helping our college community fill a growing need for Engineers and Scientists. Due to lack of members slowly the chapter diminished.

society of women engineers

Society of Women Engineers

Our mission is to support the professional interests of female engineering students as they pursue a degree here at UConn. SWE awards an estimated $500,000 in scholarship money every year. Visit the National website to apply Be sure to get involved with our section! We host many Professional, Outreach, and Social events throughout each semester. Check out the National website on how to become a collegiate member!

Faculty and Staff Programs

faculty

Staff and Faculty Learning Communities

Staff and Faculty Learning Communities are collaborative spaces where educators and professionals come together to explore shared interests, enhance their practice, and foster a culture of continuous learning.

community support

Grant and Community Engagement Support

VII supports proposal writing by providing ideation, written content and project collaboration in the following areas: 

  • building and sustaining community partnerships 
  • sharing opportunities to connect research to student learning 
  • cultivating and communicating impact with and for the people we serve 

Through our collaborative infrastructure, VII helps investigators identify and engage with key stakeholders, including K–12 educators and community organizations, to ensure outreach efforts are authentic, inclusive, and impactful. We provide support: 

  • Integrating VII’s existing K–12 and undergraduate programs—such as summer camps, research and learning experiences, and mentoring initiatives—into proposals to enhance broader impacts.   
  • Aligning outreach strategies with community needs and educational goals to empower researchers in designing proposals that are not only scientifically rigorous but also socially responsive and educationally enriching. 
connection and monitoring

Connection and Monitoring

Our VII Newsletter for Faculty and Staff is called Inside Inclusion!

If you are a faculty or staff member in the College of Engineering, you will automatically receive this monthly publication from either Tracy Maheu (the amazing Administrative Program Support for COE Undergraduate Programs) or Lara Chiaverini

Here we provide resources, events, and opportunities that we believe may be helpful to your belonging, professional development, and impact while working in COE

Work for a Program

Share your passion for engineering with the next generation of students through our programs.

Admitted First-Year Undergraduate Programs

bridge program

BRIDGE Program

BRIDGE is a five-week intensive summer program held at the Storrs campus. This program is designed to prepare incoming first-year students in engineering fields for the rigor of engineering curriculum at UConn, introduce leadership opportunities and careers in engineering, and to familiarize students with the University of Connecticut and the college experience as a whole. For questions, please contact engr-bridge@uconn.edu

Middle School Programs

Boat Camp

  • Next Session: July and August 2026
  • For more information, please email engr-boatcamp@uconn.edu or call VII Director of K-12 Initiatives Jerri Robinson at 929.489.4358
pre-engineering program

Pre-Engineering Program

engineer your future

Engineering Your Future

multiply your options

Multiplying Your Options

spark program

SPARK

High School Programs

spark program

SPARK

explore engineering

Explore Engineering

queer science

Queer Science

Archived Programs

bridge photo

DRIVES

sisters in stem

Sisters in STEM

Da_Vinci_Vitruve_Luc_Viatour-H

The DaVinci Project

The DaVinci Project was a program of workshops where middle/high school teachers could learn to incorporate engineering in their curriculum. This program has been ended and archived, if any questions, or an idea to help revive the program, contact engr-inclusion@uconn.edu.