Summer Scholars Program

The CAFE Summer Scholars Program offers paid, summer internships for UMass Amherst undergraduate students who have the unique opportunity to make significant contributions that advanced the design, implementation and goals of an existing research or extension project.  CAFE Summer Scholars is more diverse than similar undergraduate experiences, which are typically focused more tightly on a single disciplinary area. Projects reflect the broad portfolio of programs supported by CAFE and students spend their summer in faculty research laboratories, offices and field stations, as well as in communities where extension professionals are engaged directly with citizens.  The program is made possible through a combination of UMass, Federal (USDA/NIFA) and private funds. In addition to project-based work, field trips to research and Extension facilities and professional development activities help students to prepare for future careers and educational opportunities while gaining insight into the relationship between research and public education.