The St. Jude High School Research Immersion Program offers a unique opportunity for rising seniors in the Memphis area and the immediate surrounding counties in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas to participate in mentored research projects in St. Jude laboratory, psychology, epidemiology, clinical or data science research programs. A primary goal of the program is to provide access and opportunities to participate in mentored research experience.

Students in the program will work in pairs with a research mentor to conduct a research project. Simultaneously, students in the program will work with a science educator to reflect on the nature of science, whose ideas matter in science, and who gets positioned as a scientist to develop a personal statement for their college application that illustrates how their experience in the program has influenced their perception of themselves as current or future scientist. At the conclusion of the research experience, students will showcase their research projects in a community exhibition. Each student will create a scientific poster to communicate their scientific findings.

Duration of the Program

The High School Research Immersion Program is an 8-week summer program. Daily schedules are restricted to a typical 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. workday. Students are expected to attend all 8-weeks of the program. The 2025 program will begin June 2, 2025 and end July 25, 2025. In addition, participants will be expected to participate in a community exhibition to present their scientific posters on July 26, 2025.

Student Eligibility

Eligible high school students must:

• Be a current junior at a high school in the Memphis-Shelby County area and immediate surrounding counties in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas at the time of application
• Be 16 years old or older
• Have a cumulative high school GPA of at least 3.0
• Complete the online application
• Provide written permission from a legal guardian if selected
• Submit an official transcript if selected

Student Compensation

All students will received a stipend of $4,800 and are expected to work 40 hours per week.