The REAL Program
Implementing NASA simulations. Excavating and cataloging artifacts from a Mission period adobe house. Creating accessible healthcare policy. Designing and painting a mural for the Forge Garden. These are some of the amazing things REAL students are doing.
Real Experience. Applied Learning.
Experiential Learning is key to an education through the College of Arts and Sciences. As an institution that recognizes the importance of learning beyond the classroom, we aim to provide paid research, internship, project, or creative work opportunities for all undergraduate students within the College. Through the REAL Program, students can discover their interests, gain a rich understanding of a particular field, discern their career goals, explore future employment fields, and grow their professional networks. Experiences funded through REAL last up to ten weeks during the summer; alternatively, our REAL@Work program supports multidisciplinary team-based projects during the academic quarters.
730+
Student Experiences
$2.8M+
Distributed to Students
"My favorite experience of the entire research project was being able to attend the Botany 2022 convention to present our findings and learn from experts in their fields."
Through a REAL Program Internship, biology major Nick Metz ’27 transformed a personal loss into a mission-driven internship, advancing aortic research at UTHealth Houston.
Denae Rivera '25 completed a REAL internship as an archivist for the Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley, where she worked to connect and inspire fellow Latinas.
Through the REAL Program, Public Health and Psychology double major Avery Munn ’24 got experience promoting and advocating for mental health services while interning at the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Immersed in another culture and away from the comforts of home, Melanie Eng ’24 completed an internship in Barcelona, Spain where she gained insight into her future career goals and adopted a more global worldview.