The Undergraduate Research Center for Sciences, Engineering and Mathematics and the Center for Academic and Research Excellence function as a single entity to promote, develop, and celebrate undergraduate student research with the overall goal of enhancing undergraduate education. Through experiencing the processes of scholarly discovery and dissemination of their results, students become fully engaged members of the community.  Our mission is to support and increase the retention of science majors in all disciplines by enhancing the visibility, prestige, and material support for participation in undergraduate research and creative activities, both for students and faculty. Research takes different forms in different disciplines; however, in all disciplines, research involves creative activities and meaningful research produces results that are worthy of communication to others. Undergraduate research involves the close collaboration between a student and a faculty mentor as well as other members of their research group. We achieve our mission through various federal-, state- and donor-supported programs including those that aid students facing socioeconomic, academic, and other challenges.