Savit Scholars
Savit Scholars are recognized for work that promises to push disciplinary boundaries and create new space for creativity, expression and connection.
History
Since 2017, Savit Scholars have expanded the possibilities for performance art, opened new ways of thinking about apparel design, produced a stage play from the testimonies of military veterans, created more interactive virtual reality experiences, opened inclusive spaces for LGBTQ+ athletes at CU ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ, pushed boundaries in art, film and more! Funding is provided, in part, by the Savit Family Endowment.
Selection
Savit Scholars are selected annually from among the pool of UROP Student Grant applicants with priority given to projects with impact in the arts and humanities.
Previous Scholars
Rumi Natanzi - Intergenerational Aspects of the Iranian Diaspora
Mentor: Nishant Upadhyay, Ethnic Studies
Kaylan Madrid - Queer Native American Mythologies and Their Contemporary Effects on Literature
Mentor: Leila Gomez, Women & Gender Studies
Serena Langdon-Dimidjian - #WomenLifeFreedom Community-Engaged Collage Project
Mentor: Shawhin Roudbari, Environmental Design
MJ Sykes - Burning Light at ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ Star: Immersive Spotlight into Colorado History
Mentor: Kevin Sweet, Critical Media Practices
Nya Simmons - A Journey Through Black Joy
Mentor: Kalonji Nzinga, School of Education
Krista Villanueva - Los Desaparecidos: A Visual Analysis of the Atrocities Occurring in Mexico
Mentor: Brianne Cohen, Art and Art History
Evie Kiehfuss - Exhibition: Contradictions of the Pandemic
Mentor: Marina Kassianidou, Art and Art History
Josh Thompson - Effigy: A Short Film Exploring Life & Empathy
Mentor: Sheiva Rezvani, ATLAS
Nicholas Turco​ - Policy and Culture of LGBTQ+ Athletes at CU ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ
Mentor: Nancy Billica, Political Science
Lillie Bahrami​​ - Immersive Story Navigation in Cinematic VR
Mentor: Daniel Leithinger, ATLAS
Sean Guderian​ - Stage Play: How to Leave a Battlefield
Mentor: Cecilia Pang, Theatre & Dance
Enable Transformative Learning
UROP represents an opportunity to support student-centered education that makes the most of CU ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ’s global leadership in research and creative production. We invite you to explore, consider giving and contact us as you have questions.
Our campus has an expansive history of undergraduate engagement dating to the creation of the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) in 1986. A significant body of scholarship has emerged and continues to demonstrate the value of connecting students to the academic and creative life of the campus. With well-documented benefits from persistence and resilience to belonging and graduation, engagement can be transformative—and empowering for marginalized students. UROP is critical to ensuring equitable access for marginalized students by eliminating one of the most significant barriers to participation: funding.