An Engaged University

IUPUI serves as a promising model for the future of higher education - a model which demonstrates that academia need not be seen as separate, but rather should be viewed as integral to the health, development, and vitality of the community, the state, and the nation in which it thrives. This commitment to engagement creates many unique learning environments for our students – both within the classroom and beyond.

The RISE to the IUPUI Challenge is a bold campus-wide initiative focused on increasing undergraduate student participation in research, international endeavors, service, and other experiential learning options. Through RISE Bepko Scholars can:

• R: Participate in a myriad of research opportunities to develop and augment their understanding of research, scholarship, and creative activities. Bepko Scholars routinely participate in on-campus research and have held research appointments at Harvard, the University of Rochester, the University of Kentucky, Carnegie-Mellon University, and the University of Washington-Seattle.
• I: Study abroad to enhance their understanding of the world. With more than 40 IUPUI study abroad programs from which to choose, and the ability to participate in over 90 programs available through Indiana University Bloomington’s Office of Overseas Study, the world is at our scholars’ fingertips. Bepko Scholars have studied in Italy, Poland, England, Spain, Scotland, France, and Germany.
• S: Engage in community service projects and enroll in service learning courses to enhance their commitment to civic engagement. Locally, Bepko Scholars have worked with the Arts Council of Indianapolis, mentored youth at area schools and community centers, designed extracurricular programs at charter schools, and have had extensive involvement with community service organizations. They have also performed service work internationally in such countries as India, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Mexico.
• E: Explore possible career paths while gaining valuable professional experience through such programs as internships, externships, practical, clinical, or fieldwork experiences.