Student Research Internship Pilot 

Help Students Discover IRPE and Gain Real-World Research Experience

The RP Group, in partnership with College of the Canyons, invites your IRPE office to be part of an exciting new initiative—the Student Research Internship Pilot. This pilot aims to co-create and scale a model that provides community college students with meaningful, paid work experience in IRPE settings. The program will help students build their research skills while allowing them to explore the field as a potential career.

We’re looking to partner with up to three IRPE offices to co-develop and test this model.

Participating colleges will need to:

• Provide a funded research internship opportunity for 1–2 students

• Offer students hands-on experience with a real IRPE project or function

• Collaborate with The RP Group and College of the Canyons to receive guidance and support throughout the pilot program

How will The RP Group support participating IRPE offices and their student participants?

• Provide funding for CITI training fees for students

• Cover conference and travel expenses for student researchers to attend RP Conference 2026 in Orange County

• Leverage knowledge and experience from across the CCC IRPE community to elevate promising practices and share lessons learned about building and sustaining effective student researcher initiatives

How will College of the Canyons support IRPE offices?

• Share the structures, processes, and frameworks that have helped Canyons effectively onboard, support, and build fruitful working partnerships with student researchers

• Provide coaching and thought partnership throughout the project

This is your chance to support workforce development, inspire future IRPE professionals, and gain additional research support for your office.

Information Session Recording

Watch our information session below to learn how the internship aims to advance IRPE office capacity through mentorship, resource sharing, and leadership development while creating a pipeline of future professionals by supporting paid, hands-on research experiences for students—particularly those from historically marginalized backgrounds.

Applications will close on Friday, August 29, 2025, and institutions will be notified on Thursday, September 4, 2025.

Questions about the project?

Please contact Brad Trimble, Director of Learning and Strategy, The RP Group.