Starting in Fall 2026, NIU is becoming a partner of UR2PhD (“UR2PhD”, pronounced ‘you are to PhD’), a national program that helps prepare students for university research experiences, and helps students feel more comfortable and confident pursuing graduate study.
The NIU chapter will be run through the Office of Innovation here at 71 North, and will be open to all students at NIU. The program will include a series of workshops, mentorship opportunities, and research experiences designed to help students develop the skills and confidence they need to succeed in research projects & graduate school.
There are 3 Paths to engage with UR2PhD at NIU:
- Undergraduate Researcher — your first research project, with a mentor and team by your side
- Graduate Mentorship trainee — learn to mentor well, with a stipend for completing the course
- Faculty Mentor — standardized training that saves your team onboarding time
Still have questions after looking through the paths above? Contact the NIU UR2PhD local coordinator and we’ll help you find where you fit.