The Summer Community College Opportunity for Research Experience (SCCORE) is a summer research program of NM AMP designed to give New Mexico community college students the opportunity to experience university STEM research before transferring to a four-year institution.

SCCORE participants work on a research project in their STEM field under the guidance of a university faculty mentor and research team. Throughout the summer, students gain hands-on research experience, learn how university research works, build relationships with faculty and other researchers, and develop the academic and professional skills needed to continue successfully in STEM.

The program also gives students an opportunity to experience life at a four-year university before transferring. Through research, a credit-bearing course, professional development activities, campus experiences, and interaction with other STEM students, SCCORE helps participants become more comfortable navigating a university environment and envision themselves as members of its academic and research community.

 

 

What You Will Experience

During SCCORE, community college students:

• Gain hands-on research experience in a STEM field
• Work with a university faculty mentor and research team
• Learn about the research process and how research is conducted in their discipline
• Participate in professional and research skill development
• Complete a credit-bearing course
• Learn about university resources and campus life
• Develop a research poster based on their summer project
• Present their research work at the SCCORE Mini Symposium
• Return in the fall to present at the NM AMP Student Research Conference (on NMSU Campus)
• Build connections with faculty, graduate students, undergraduate researchers, and other community college STEM students

No previous research experience is required. SCCORE is designed to introduce community college students to research and help them develop the skills and confidence needed to participate successfully in a university research environment.

 

Research & Faculty Mentorship

Research is at the center of the SCCORE experience. Students spend approximately 20–30 hours per week working on a research project with a faculty mentor and their research group.

Depending on the project, students may work directly with their faculty mentor as well as graduate students, undergraduate researchers, laboratory staff, or other members of the research team. Students learn through active participation in the research process while receiving guidance and support from experienced researchers.

Research experiences vary by discipline and project, allowing students to see how the concepts they encounter in STEM courses are applied to real research questions.

Professional Development & Research Communication

SCCORE is designed to help students develop not only research experience, but also the skills needed to communicate their work and navigate academic research environments.

Throughout the program, students participate in workshops and a credit-bearing course that introduce topics related to research, professional development, scientific communication, and research presentations.

Students progressively develop a research poster describing their summer project and receive guidance throughout the poster-development process. At the end of the summer, participants present their work at the SCCORE Mini Symposium.

Students also return in the fall to present their research at the NM AMP Student Research Conference at New Mexico State University, giving them an additional opportunity to share their work and interact with students, faculty, and researchers from across New Mexico.

Financial Support

NM AMP provides substantial financial support so that New Mexico community college students can participate in SCCORE while gaining summer research experience.

Each SCCORE participant receives:

• $2,200 stipend (given in two installments)
• $150 laboratory materials/supplies budget, with materials and supplies ordered by NM AMP staff
• A meal allowance
• Tuition and fees for the required credit-bearing course
• On-campus housing for eligible out-of-town participants for the duration of the program

This support is provided in addition to the research, mentoring, professional development, and academic experiences included in SCCORE.

Participation Requirements

SCCORE is an intensive summer research experience. Participants are expected to:

• Work approximately 20–30 hours per week on their faculty-mentored research project
• Maintain regular communication with their faculty mentor and research team
• Attend and participate in the almost daily required SCCORE workshops and program activities in the required credit-bearing course
• Complete required course and program assignments
• Develop a research poster based on their summer project
• Present their research at the SCCORE Mini Symposium
• Attend and present their research at the NM AMP Student Research Conference during the subsequent fall semester

Students should plan to make SCCORE and their research project a significant commitment throughout the summer program period.

  

 

Eligibility & Selection Criteria

Applicants must:

• Be enrolled at a New Mexico community college (at the time of application)
• Major in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM)
• Be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident, per NSF guidelines
• Have completed at least 6 credit hours at a New Mexico community college during the spring semester in a STEM discipline (Dual credit students read note below***)
• Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7
• Have a strong interest in transferring to a New Mexico four-year institution to pursue a bachelor's degree

***Some dual-credit high school students may also qualify if they graduate from high school in May, meet the community college enrollment requirement, and plan to enroll full-time in a STEM major at a New Mexico community college or four-year institution in the fall.

Applications

SCCORE is offered annually during the summer.

Program dates, application deadlines, participating research sites, and application links are updated each year.

Students interested in research but unsure whether they have enough experience are encouraged to apply. Previous research experience is not required.

The Summer 2026 SCCORE Symposium was July 17, 2026.