CRED Student Support

CRED empowers undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Arizona to explore evaluation as a meaningful and impactful career. We introduce our students to real-world projects that highlight the value of evaluation within human services fields while teaching practical social science research and general career-readiness skills.

How we engage with students

We support students through a structured approach that helps them grow professionally while connecting with community partners and contributing to real evaluation projects. The student experience includes:

Structured Onboarding

Students learn about CRED and the projects they’ll be working on, along with research ethics and core evaluation principles. They are also introduced to team expectations, workflows, and key tools to support their success.

Weekly Virtual Lab Meetings

Students and staff connect weekly for team check-ins, shared learning, and professional development. These meetings also provide a space to discuss progress, address challenges, and strengthen collaboration across the team.

Project-Based Supervision

In addition to weekly meetings, students receive tailored guidance from different CRED team members about their project contributions. They may also participate in project-based meetings within CRED and with external partners.

End-Of-Semester Celebration

At the end of each semester, students share what they’ve learned and accomplished, reflect on their growth, and prepare to articulate these experiences in job or graduate school applications.

What our students say about their experience

We consistently engage both undergraduate and graduate students in meaningful, hands-on roles. Since 2012, 53 students have worked with us. Our student team reflects a diverse range of identifies and lived experiences, including representation across multiple gender identities (women, men, genderqueer, non-binary), racial and ethnic backgrounds, multinational and first-generation college students.

In 2024, we surveyed 38 CRED alumni and received 20 responses; 17 respondents reflected on their experiences while completing their undergraduate or graduate degrees.