The summer apprenticeship program has three objectives: a) to provide additional experiential learning opportunities for students by engaging them in active research projects; b) support faculty research by training and supporting student research assistants; and c) develop and identify students that can serve as tutors during the academic year. Students in the program attend morning classes and workshops in statistical analysis and statistical software, and work on a research project for the rest of the day. In the summer of 2007 and summer of 2008 the center sponsored eight and twelve faculty-student pairs respectively. Program activities are also available to students not funded by the center (e.g. working as research assistants in faculty labs or sponsored by faculty grants.)