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Join the University of Minnesota’s Under the Hood Summer Program.
Be the Spark: Volunteer for "Under the Hood" 2026
Be the Spark: Volunteer for "Under the Hood" 2026
The Under the Hood: Machine Learning & AI Summer Program is looking for mentors, experts, and tech leaders to help us demystify the digital world. Hosted by the UMN Data Science and AI Hub, this program bridges the gap between high school curiosity and professional reality.
We don't just teach students how to use AI; we teach them how to build it. We are looking for volunteers who are passionate about sharing their knowledge and helping the next generation of engineers, data scientists, and innovators go "Under the Hood."
The 2026 Schedule
The 2026 Schedule
Volunteers are welcome to sign up for one or more days anytime during our two-week session. Whether you can join us for an afternoon or the full week, your presence makes a difference.
Week 1 (Intro to ML): July 13 – 17
Focus: Python fundamentals, scikit-learn, and data analysis.
Volunteer Roles:
Coding mentor: Help beginners debug code and build their first models (like Pokémon classifiers and snow-day predictors).
Guest speaker (Monday-Wednesday): Give a talk to students about your work, career path, coding demos, etc. for approximately 60 minutes (including Q&A time)
Guest panelist (Thursday): Participate in a panel and interactive discussion with students.
Week 2 (Advanced Deep Learning): July 20 – 24
Focus: PyTorch, Neural Networks, and Generative Models.
Volunteer Role:
Coding mentor: Guide advanced students through complex architectures and image/text recognition.
Guest speaker (Monday-Wednesday): Give a talk to students about your work, career path, coding demos, etc. for approximately 60 minutes (including Q&A time)
Guest panelist (Thursday): Participate in a panel and interactive discussion with students.
Why Join Us?
Why Join Us?
As a volunteer, you aren’t just a supervisor—you are a mentor. You’ll help students navigate their first technical "breakthroughs," share your career journey during guest speaker sessions, and join the vibrant UMN campus community (complete with robotic dog demos and visits from Goldy Gopher).
Ready to inspire? Fill out the form below to join our 2026 team.
Note: If you are registering a group from your organization, please ensure each individual submits a separate form. All volunteers are subject to a standard UMN background check.
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