Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) provides UMD students of all backgrounds, disciplines, and levels of experience with the opportunity to engage in scaffolded, multidisciplinary team-based projects.

Starting a VIP Team

About the VIP Program & VIP Teams

Discover the benefits of the VIP program for participating students.

About VIP Team Proposals

The VIP program enables faculty to build large, multidisciplinary student teams tailored to their needs and students' interests. Through VIP, faculty can take on larger-scale projects than otherwise possible, cross disciplinary boundaries, and test new ideas in a high-productivity and low-stakes ecosystem.

Students who participate in multiple semesters become subteam leaders, creating continuity and decreasing the leadership burden on faculty. These large teams make meaningful contributions to faculty research and project portfolios, while a VIP Team's impactful projects appeal to grant organizations and donors.

As administrators, our team takes the lead on advertising to student teams, recruiting students, and developing processes to remove barriers for both students and faculty in maintaining research teams. Our team manages all recruitment processes, provides 1-1 support with building out and supporting your team, and identifies opportunities for teams to share their research with the broader UMD and VIP Consortium communities.

About VIP Teams

VIP teams are structured a lot like interdisciplinary labs: the faculty advisor leads a group of subteams composed of students from different disciplines. Students can participate in VIP for multiple semesters, with returning students taking on additional technical and/or leadership responsibilities within their teams.

Over time, experienced undergraduates take over subteam leadership, freeing the faculty advisor to focus on higher-order work. Supporting a team of 10-20 students ensures enough students return each semester and maintains continuity. An important aspect of VIP Team design is that all team projects are derived from the research agendas, interests, scholarship, and expertise of the VIP Faculty Mentor. In this manner, the VIP experience for students is more than just a class - it's an authentic, experiential engagement.

Leading a VIP Team

Eligibility

VIP Faculty Mentors must be qualified to be instructors of record at UMD.

Typical Project Parameters & Guidance

VIP Teams typically pursue long-term projects and research ecosystems (3-5 years), involve both multidisciplinary and collaborative work, and are embedded in the core research and expertise of the VIP Faculty Mentor.

Motivations to Launch a VIP Team

Advance your research & innovation with long-term student support.
Lead a multidisciplinary, scalable team with sustained peer mentoring.
Launch, grow, and succeed through the support we provide for student recruitment, team selection, course creation and scheduling, and other related materials.
Be a part of a community of VIP Faculty Mentors who meet, discuss, and grow together.

There are two phases to submitting a proposal:

Phase I: You’ll provide the information we need to understand the VIP Team you wish to lead. We discuss this information with you in a collaborative meeting. If the outcome of the collaborative meeting is "launch this team!", we will ask that you submit Phase II.

Submit a Phase I Proposal

Phase II: You will share the necessary information to create courses and to communicate with the team and students during their application process. Including meeting times, location, and other information so we can create your online team page.

Submit a Phase II Proposal

Proposal Timelines

Phase I proposals will close on March 6, 2026 (ongoing submissions considered).
Phase II proposals for VIP Teams advancing toward launch are due on March 20, 2026.

VIP Proposal & Launch Process

Submit VIP Team Phase I Proposal:
Interested campus partners should submit a Phase I proposal before the close.
Collaborative Conversations:
After reviewing your proposal, we will connect with you to learn more. We will work with you to ensure the availability and readiness of infrastructure to support a VIP Team, answer your questions and concerns, and provide collaborative support to help drive a successful launch of your proposed VIP Team.
VIP Team Decisions Finalized & Announced:
After the collaborative conversation, should the VIP Team be determined to be ready to move forward, we will launch your VIP Team by developing a team web presence, advertising the team to students, and facilitating student applications and enrollments. To complete this step, please submit a Phase II proposal that provides the necessary information to launch your VIP Team as part of this program.
Supporting New Team Readiness & Launch:
We will collaborate with new VIP Team leaders in the period leading up to the team launch to ensure that new VIP Teams are prepared to welcome students. We will provide materials to help new VIP Faculty Mentors prepare their course (template syllabi, formative and summative assessment templates, etc).

Proposal Submission and Evaluation

Submission:
Interested campus partners are encouraged to submit a VIP Team Proposal via the link above.
Evaluation Process:
This is not a competitive process. Our goal is to sustainably grow this program and add new teams to meet the needs of our undergraduate student population. Proposals will be reviewed based on the proposed VIP Faculty Mentor's commitment, expertise, and commitment to the VIP program model.

Can students propose or launch a VIP Team?

No. Students cannot propose or launch a VIP Team. Students interested in getting involved with VIP can learn more about the program on the VIP Students page.

What is the average size and structure of a VIP Team?

VIP Teams can range in size from 8 to 30+ students from any major at UMD. We suggest that new teams start with 8-10 students and welcome additional students after they are established. VIP Teams can be organized into any structure that best facilitates the functions of the team; most often, we see VIP teams organized into subteams of around 3-4 students.

What benefits do students get from participating?

In addition to developing a relationship with their VIP Faculty Mentor and VIP Team, students earn course credit for their involvement in VIP Teams. Long-term engagement in teams allows students the opportunity to develop and hone their communication, teamwork, leadership, and critical thinking skills. These skills help them as they move towards graduation and take on their next steps. Students who take on advanced leadership roles in their teams may earn additional course credit for the extra time they dedicate to supporting their team.

What benefits do I get from running a VIP Team?

Faculty benefit from student work and a broader impact of their research and education efforts, while students gain additional project experience, leadership opportunities, and teamwork skills. Additionally, VIP Faculty Mentors become part of a growing community of individuals across UMD who engage students in hands-on, experiential, and research-based activities.

What is the time commitment for running a VIP Team?

It depends, but ~4 hours per week. VIP Teams should meet once per week during their scheduled course time (1-2 hours per week). This "course" time can be used at the VIP Faculty Mentor's discretion. We often see VIP Teams doing hands-on work, having whole team meetings, and planning next steps during this time. In addition, students are expected to engage in VIP Team activities (e.g., working with their subteams, engaging in literature reviews, hands-on time in the lab, or online work) for an additional 1-2 hours per week. This time may or may not be supervised by VIP Faculty Mentor.

What course would I need to teach? Does that involve grading?

Each VIP Team is affiliated with a VIPS course that allows students to earn course credit for their engagement in the team. Students earn letter grades in VIPS courses and are assessed based on their documentation & record keeping, teamwork & interaction (peer evaluation), and personal contributions to the team.

VIP Program Responsibilities

We will provide long-term support in the following areas:

Student Messaging & Recruitment:
This includes undergraduate messaging, application facilitation, and team assignments.
Course Creation & Scheduling:
We are responsible for the creation and scheduling of VIPS courses.
Degree Credit Negotiation:
We will work with academic units to negotiate potential degree credit for VIPS courses.
Faculty Mentor Support:
VIP Faculty Mentor readiness and fostering an academic community.
Team Assessment & Evaluation:
Ongoing evaluation of VIP Teams.

Campus Partner Responsibilities

Campus partners must provide the following for new VIP Teams:

Infrastructure:
Facilities, equipment, and consumables necessary for team operations.
Instruction & Mentorship:
A campus partner to serve as the VIP Faculty Mentor and instructor of record for the VIPS course. These courses typically meet 1-2 hours per week, with mentors committing an additional 1-2 hours for preparation, oversight, and mentorship.