Programs & Opportunities

Empowering Futures

The Vergnano Institute for Impact is committed to fostering connection and passion in the engineering and STEM fields. Our programs are designed to facilitate the outreach, recruitment, retention, and overall success of all members of the College of Engineering community.

Our programs offer a rich and encompassing environment where we foster different avenues of building a well educated and intellectually diverse STEM community. In this approach, we ensure that when our students and peers are in the field, they can share those UConn Husky values to inspire and encourage others to do the same. These programs are tailored to students and peers from all walks of life, young women, men, current UConn employees, mentors who wish to engage future engineers to elementary or middle school children who see themselves as future STEM field students and engineers.

K – 12 Programs

Our K – 12 programs are desiged to inspire students and help introduce foundational ideas for future careers in STEM fields. Students get to work directly with UConn College of Engineering students and staff to spark curiosity and get hands-on experience with STEM concepts.

Explore Our K – 12 Programs

An engineer talking to a group of students while one student uses a technological device on Explore Engineering Day.

Undergraduate Programs

VII offers multiple programs to support UConn undergraduate engineering students. From welcoming students starting their first year, opportunities for transfer/campus change students, academic and professional support, community building, as well as helping students develop lifelong skills – we are here to support Huskies at any stage of their college jourey.

We also support the UConn chapters of national engineering organizations including: Colorstack, Engineering Ambassadors, Engineers Without Borders, the National Sociery of Black Engineers, the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and the Society of Women Engineers.

Discover Our Undergraduate Programs

The VII 2026 graduate class gathered for a group photo on the staircase within the Gant Science Complex on the UConn Storrs campus. All of the students are wearing their caps and gowns, orange engineering tassles, and other graduation regalia.

Graduate Programs

VII offers programs for Graduate students at UConn to find support and community, as well as access various academic and professional development resources. Additionally Graduate students have the opportunity to act as mentors for other students through VII’s mentor-mentee opportunities.

Explore our Graduate Programs

Grad SWE members sitting in a classroom watching a projected presentation about resumes, with an example resume with a heatmap of most veiwed areas on the board.

Educator, Faculty, and Staff Programs

The Vergnano Institute for Impact also offers prgrams for Educators, as well as UConn Faculty and Staff. From inspiring educators to incorporate STEM into their lesson plans, to mentoring opportunities, assistance with proposal writing, and more – we seek to build a community were all are welcome and embrace STEM concepts.

Discover Programs for Educators, Faculty, and Staff