UConn students who are interested in becoming undergraduate researchers and have an interest in research-centric graduate studies have a program to gain tools through research opportunities housed within the Center for Access and Postsecondary Success (CAPS), which is part of the Institute for Student Success.

Students in the CAPS program participate in professional and community development workshops as well as one-on-one mentoring conversations to discuss the progress of their academics and research, along with work-life balance. Once selected as second- or third-year students, they actively participate during the semesters and optional summer components until graduation.

The U.S. Department of Education federally funded McNair Scholars Program is a part of the CAPS research opportunities, as well as CAPS Research Apprentice and CAPS Research Scholar. Eligible students come from low-income households, who are first generation to college, or self-identify as belonging to underrepresented racial or ethnic groups in graduate programs nationwide. The students aspire to pursue projects with quantitative aspects across STEM disciplines. In addition, there are interdisciplinary project options in areas such as education, nursing, and business.

The current group of 24 CAPS students are the 12^th cohort in the program’s history at UConn. In the spring 2024 semester, they were selected as CAPS Research Scholar candidates, and in June 2024, the majority of them became McNair Scholars, with some being named CAPS Research Scholars, which are funded through the University.

The CAPS program affords students the chance to travel to present their projects, visit potential graduate schools and gain cultural and social experiences while enhancing their professional development skillsets and exploring where they might want to enroll for graduate study. This travel is funded by the CAPS and McNair programs.

“Everyone tells you that when you are an incoming freshman, that you have to go and do research,” says Jordan Candelario ’26 (CLAS), a CAPS Research Scholar. “But it’s not easy to actually determine what that looks like and the CAPS program helped me get familiar with undergraduate research and what is means to do research as career.”

Candelario is a molecular and cell biology major who is interested graduate studies and a career in forensic science. As part of the CAPS program, she is currently doing research in the Smith Lab for Pulmonary Immunotoxicology in the School of Pharmacy. She took part in a CAPS research apprentice shadowing opportunity for the entirety of the fall 2023 semester, where she was introduced to the Smith Lab.

“I’ve learned some really important things in the CAPS program like how to communicate and be a professional,” says MacChesney Semmelroth ’26 (CLAS), a physics major from Coventry and a McNair Scholar. “I’ve met some great people and have been able to travel to conferences to present my research.”

Semmelroth plans to study for a doctoral degree in either quantum computing or nuclear physics.

Belinda Chen ’26 (CLAS)  is a molecular and cell biology major and is also a McNair Scholar. She is interested in pursuing a combined M.D. and Ph.D. program following graduation.

“The CAPS program allowed me to see what the life of a Ph.D. student is actually like,” says Chen. “I’ve been able to interact with doctoral students and get to know more about them. I’ve done chemistry research, which is very different from biology, and I liked trying a different aspect of science.”

Alejandro Figueroa Condiman ’25 (CLAS) is a McNair Scholar from Wethersfield, with a major in molecular and cell biology.

“I really developed a love for research during my time as a McNair Scholar,” says Figueroa Condiman. “I was a little intimidated with the responsibilities of the program during the application process, but I took a chance and applied. I was looking at pre-medicine before becoming involved in CAPS but have now decided I like doing the research more than the clinical work.

“I have made amazing connections with people that I would not have had the courage to reach out to. My faculty mentors have been amazing.”

He recently presented his research at a conference at Baylor University.

Figueroa Condiman is applying to Ph.D. programs for stem cell and regenerative medicine and is interested in becoming a college professor.

Figueroa Condiman, Chen, and Candelario all have participated in the CAPS Research Summer, an eight-week, residential program that combined research and intensive preparatory work for graduate school, and they are currently partaking in the inaugural CAPS Research/McNair Winter Institute this 2024-2025 winter intersession to advance on their research projects and further enhance their professional development skillsets for spring 2025 research conference and summer 2025 internship preparation.

Semmelroth was selected for a physics research internship at the University of California-Davis last summer. He recently took part in a conference in Boston to present that research he did at UC-Davis.

First and second year students can apply for the apprentice shadowing opportunity after the spring 2025 semester begins in order to participate in the fall of 2025. Second and third year students can apply for scholar candidate in October 2025 to participate beginning in January 2026.