Supporting MIT Sophomores for 25 Years
For 25 years, the Undergraduate Practice Opportunities Program (UPOP) has been one of MIT’s most powerful engines for student professional success—preparing sophomores not just to enter the workplace but to thrive in it. In a world where technical skills alone aren’t enough, UPOP provides what students need at this critical point in their MIT journey: a curated, yearlong experience that turns academic excellence into real-world career readiness.
At its core, UPOP equips students with the tools, mindset, and confidence to launch successfully into their professional lives, regardless of their intended career path. Through hands-on workshops, individualized coaching, and direct engagement with employers and alumni mentors, participants build the communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills that set them apart from day one on the job.
A Day of Celebration
UPOP commemorated its first 25 years of serving MIT sophomores in a day-long celebration on September 27th. We were delighted to be included in the annual Alumni Leadership Conference, during which we hosted a lunchtime panel that explored the origin story of the program and its rich history of supporting students’ career readiness journeys with founding administrative director and mentor, Chris Resto (MIT ’99), UPOP alum and mentor Molly Tracy (MIT ’16), and recent UPOP alums Shravika Pendyala (MIT ’26) and Henry Smith (MIT ’25).
We also used the chance to have so many members of our community back on campus to host a mini-TTW session where mentors (and staff!) were put in the student spot to participate in crowd-favorite teamwork exercises.
We closed the weekend with a reception at local restaurant Catalyst, where we celebrated with UPOP alumni, mentors, and cheerleaders. We were also honored to be joined by program founders Tom Magnanti, former dean of the School of Engineering; Dick Yue, UPOP’s first faculty director; and Chris Resto, founding administrative director of the program (pictured below).
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us on September 27th — and to the entire UPOP community who helped us through our first 25 years!
Support the Next 25
As UPOP celebrates its 25th anniversary, we are launching a $5 million fundraising initiative to ensure the program continues to evolve and expand to meet the needs of future MIT students. With additional support, UPOP will continue to deliver on its promise to provide MIT sophomores with the skills that ensure their success in finding and thriving in their chosen work.
What will your support make possible?
- Secure UPOP’s Future by growing the Endowment Fund for Program Innovation and Expansion, ensuring the program continues to evolve to meet the shifting needs of both students and employers.
- Empower the Next Generation of Mentors through the Young Mentor Support Fund, enabling more recent graduates to return for Team Training Workshop and share their professional experiences with students; and to provide opportunities for seasoned mentors to share their knowledge and wisdom through new mentor training opportunities.
- Build Professional Networks and Community by expanding employer engagement, and peer and mentor connections that strengthen student communities.
Download our anniversary fundraising initiative brochure to learn more about how your support will help future UPOP students. To learn more about giving opportunities and UPOP’s three-year anniversary fundraising initiative, please reach out to Betsy Boyle, betsyb@mit.edu.