Undergraduates and Postbaccalaureates

In partnership with Alverno College, Mount Mary University, and UW-Milwaukee, this 2-year post-baccalaureate program aims to help students gain admission to and successfully complete graduate or medical school. The program offers an immersive experience with hands-on training in cancer research labs, access to research mentors, participation in community outreach, and career development. For more information, please contact mcwcc-crtec@mcw.edu.

This program connects undergraduates to mentors and research opportunities, making a future career in biomedical sciences more accessible. Students participate in a didactic core curriculum and weekly seminars featuring career development, goal setting, and discussion of ongoing research. Students also shadow basic scientists in their labs, participate in community events, and complete a mentored project related to cancer disparities in southeast Wisconsin.

The Cancer Center offers funding for a 1-2 year experience for up to eight recent college graduates who wish to delay graduate or professional school to serve as a clinical research professional in the Cancer Center’s Clinical Trials Office. Students receive training through an onboarding program, seminars, workshops, and shadowing experiences to enhance their understanding of cancer and clinical research.

This 12-week hybrid educational initiative, spread out from November 2025 to August 2026, engages undergraduate students in faculty-mentored, hands-on summer cancer research, clinical practicums, and interactive workshops and journal clubs led by leading experts. Participants will gain a deep understanding of clinical and translational cancer research, benefit from professional networking opportunities, and receive guidance from leading experts to prepare them for careers in STEMM-related disciplines. A monetary stipend is provided to support scholars’ research and learning efforts.

Application deadline: October 15, 2025

• Visit the SPARCC website to learn more.
• Submit an application in RedCap.
• Eligibility:
  • U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents
  • Are juniors, seniors, or recent graduates from a four-year college
  • Have active health insurance
• Questions: Please email us at sparcc@mcw.edu

In partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UW-M), the Cancer Center offers UWM students a learning experience aimed at training the next generation of high-performing, diverse cancer researchers. Beginning with mentor-pairing, students align their interests with a Cancer Center/cancer-focused research mentor and participate in an introductory semester-long, credit-granting undergraduate course that supports the development and writing of a fellowship grant proposal.

Visit UW-Milwaukee's Office of Undergraduate Research for details

This annual symposium allows trainees an opportunity to showcase their research through oral presentations and poster sessions. The event includes a keynote address from a nationally renowned scientist with attendees comprised of high school, college, and graduate students as well as postdoctoral trainees.

Read about the 2024 Trainee Symposium

MCW Cancer Center trainees have access to a Trainee Travel Award that offers reimbursement for conferences, travel costs for conducting research with a collaborator, and attending workshops and courses. Twenty awards will be available per calendar year.

Awards remaining for calendar year 2025

• Cancer Biology: 1/5 Awards Remaining
• Cancer Control: 0/5 Awards Remaining
• DDT: 0/5 Awards Remaining
• CRTEC: 1/5 Awards Remaining

If there are no awards remaining within your research program, you may still apply under the general CRTEC category.

Learn more about the award and eligibility (PDF).