. The key features of theprogram are (1) a single point of entry, (2) long-term and authentic research experiences, (3)participation in a broader impact project, and (4) personal mentoring between students andfaculty. Since its inception in 2003, the program has had 251 total student participants that havepublished 225 peer reviewed publications and 75% have continued on to graduate school.1. IntroductionA recent report analyzed what made students view their undergraduate education as being worththe cost [1]. The three largest factors were the following: • “My professor cared about me as a person.” • “I had a mentor who encouraged me to pursue my goals and dreams.” • “I had at least one professor who made me excited about learning.”All