Undergraduate research experiences serve as a critical bridge between academic learning and application, offering students opportunities to deepen knowledge, develop technical skills, and explore career pathways. The objective of this study is to examine first-year outcomes of a multi-university research experience aimed at exploring and understanding the impacts of undergraduate research projects as they relate to on the student’s equine knowledge and career goals. Eight students across four universities completed an 8-week summer research experience focused on animal health technologies. Students completed online educational modules, weekly cohort, and advisor meetings, individual research projects, and attended a program conference. Research projects were completed by students from start to finish with mentorship provided. A mixed methods approach was used to assess the research projects. Students completed a post survey consisting of questions on a 5-point Likert scale (n=16) and answered questions (n=5) that were analyzed using qualitative approaches. An exit interview was also conducted. The research experience in relation to a student's future career was described as positive with averages for all project areas (n = 5) above 4.3. When asked, students agreed that their understanding of the equine industry had increased (average 4.6 ± 0.7). Similarly the average level of agreement of having an increased understanding of career opportunities in animal health and production was 4.8 ± 0.5. Average overall satisfaction of the research project was 4.7 ± 0.5. Upon reviewing short-answer responses, participants felt they developed technical skills related to experimental design, data analysis, and equine science. Additionally, participants acknowledged they experienced personal and professional growth including development of public speaking and communication skills, work ethic, collaboration, and networking opportunities. Qualitative data gathered from exit interviews supported these thematic findings. Data from the first cohort suggests the value of undergraduate research experiences capable of benefiting their future personally and professionally.