Innovation Springs Interview 5: Jen Poe

• Center for Student Research: https://studentresearch.uccs.edu/ 
• Office of Faculty Affairs: https://provost.uccs.edu/ 
• Mountain Lion Research Day: https://research.uccs.edu/mlrd 
• Undergraduate Research Academy: https://ura.uccs.edu/ 
• Center for Improving Mentored Experience in Research: https://cimerproject.org/ 

📺 Viewers can access the full transcript or captions on the YouTube video for a deeper dive into the conversation.

https://youtu.be/DgdsRiwkDAY 

🎧 Innovation in Higher Education: Faculty Support, Research & Policy

How do universities support faculty and students behind the scenes—and what role does innovation play in improving those systems?

In this episode of Innovation Springs, host Hayley Blackburn sits down with Jennifer Poe, Director of Faculty Affairs at UCCS and PhD student in Leadership, Research, and Foundations, to explore how research, policy, and program design shape the higher education experience.

Jen shares her unique perspective working across multiple roles at UCCS—from coordinating NSF-funded research projects to leading the Center for Student Research and now supporting faculty across their entire career lifecycle. The conversation highlights how innovation often happens through refining systems, questioning existing processes, and building more equitable and effective structures for both faculty and students.

The episode also dives into the impact of undergraduate research programs, including initiatives like Mountain Lion Research Day and the Undergraduate Research Academy, showing how hands-on research experiences can transform student confidence and career pathways. Jen reflects on adapting programs during COVID, expanding access by removing traditional barriers like GPA requirements, and creating more inclusive opportunities for student researchers.

Whether you're a student exploring research opportunities or a faculty or staff member working to improve institutional systems, this episode offers a thoughtful look at innovation in action within higher education.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How undergraduate research programs support student success
• Why innovation in higher education often means improving existing systems
• How removing barriers (like GPA requirements) can increase access and equity
• What it takes to design and scale impactful academic programs

🔑 Key Quotes

“I’ve worn a lot of different hats here.”

“There’s always a better way to do things.”

“Is it the most efficient, and is it the most equitable?”

“Your GPA does not instantly equate to you being a strong researcher.”

🎯 Why Students & Faculty Should Listen

This episode answers important questions like “How does higher education innovation actually happen?” and “How can research programs become more accessible and impactful?”—making it especially valuable for students interested in research and faculty or staff working to improve academic systems.

It also highlights how thoughtful changes in policy, programming, and support structures can create lasting impact across an entire campus community.