Building Bridges to the Professoriate (BB2P)

Track 1 BB2P scholars participate in summer research at UCR in the Mentoring Summer Research Internship Program (MSRIP). They are provided with housing and a stipend for the Summer (June 22nd to August 14th, 2026) and participate in research under the direction of a UCR faculty member.
 

Track 1 scholars also participate in summer workshops hosted by MSRIP and become a member of the CUSP-BB2P community. Click here for more details about Track 1 expectations and outcomes. 
 

Eligibility: Undergraduate students who have completed sophomore or junior year and are in good academic standing at their Cal State.
 

Deadline to apply: March 27th, 2026
 

Track 2 BB2P scholars are already actively engaged in research at their Cal State campus. They will present their research at the Mentoring Summer Research Internship Program (MSRIP) Symposium on August 14, and have a UCR faculty mentor as well as a CUSP graduate student mentor.

Track 2 scholars participate in summer workshops hosted by MSRIP (June 22nd to August 14th, 2026), participate in the BB2P-CUSP orientation meeting in-person at UCR in March/April and become a member of the CUSP-BB2P community.

Track 2 scholars will also have a mentor from the CUSP program - a UCR graduate student advanced to candidacy who will provide advice about their experience in applying to PhD programs, life as a graduate student and career opportunities after graduate school. Click here for more details about Track 2 expectations and outcomes.

Eligibility: Undergraduate and Master's students with a current research adviser at their Cal State.

Undergraduates must be in good academic standing and have 1 to 2 years until graduation.

Master's students must be in good academic standing and have at least 1 year until graduation.

Deadline to apply: March 27th, 2026

We seek UCR faculty who want to inspire the next generation of professors in STEM by providing mentoring to a student from a Cal State campus so that they can successfully apply to graduate school.
 

The Student will participate in research at UCR in the Mentoring Summer Research Internship Program (MSRIP) (Track 1) or at their home campus in Fresno or Fullerton (Track 2).
 

The UCR faculty will meet with the Cal State student in-person during the summer and introduce them to their lab and research at an R1 institution. The faculty will stay in contact by Zoom during the year and participate in the annual networking event of CUSP/BB2P in Spring. Click here for BB2P Faculty Mentor Expectations and Outcomes.

Mentors from all STEM fields are welcome; experience mentoring underrepresented students is desirable but not required.

- BB2P Visit 2023

- BB2P Visit 2024

- BB2P: MSRIP Symposium 2024

- BB2P: Visit and Symposium 2025

Click here to access.

Questions about becoming a BB2P Scholar or Mentor? Please contact cuspbb2p@ucr.edu.

The deadline to apply for the 2026 cohort is March 27, 2026.

Click here to apply.

If you are interested in Track 2, please note that you will need to complete two applications. First, complete the above application and this will link you to your campus specific application upon submission. If you do not see your campus specific application please email us at cuspbb2p@ucr.edu.