CIRM SPARK funded UCR STRIDE (Summer Training and Research Inspiration for Diverse Pipeline Engagement toward Advancing Stem Cell Treatment) program has provided summer research experience and training to the third cohort of 12 diverse high school students in the areas relevant to stem cells and regenerative medicine. The 12 trainees are recruited from the Inland Empire, which is one of the medically underserved areas with most diverse population in California. There is a critical need to build a pipeline of diverse stem cell workforce to serve this area and accelerate research and development of stem cell therapies to address the unmet medical needs. University of California Riverside (UCR) is a Minority Serving Institution located in Inland Empire with two largest counties in California – Riverside and San Bernardino. Three colleges at the UCR, that is, Bourns College of Engineering (BCOE), College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS), and School of Medicine (SOM) provided diverse hosting labs for the research and mentoring of trainees. Each trainee is mentored by a faculty mentor and a graduate student or post-doctoral lab mentor of the hosting labs. In addition to the faculty mentors and lab mentors, each trainee is supported by at least one STRIDE program assistant. The trainees received interdisciplinary research training and mentoring in the hosting labs and participated in extra-curriculum learning activities through STRIDE workshops. The STRIDE program provided workshops covering a wide range of topics, such as environmental health and safety training, introduction to stem cell biology, undergraduate student panels sharing college experience and undergraduate research programs, UCR Stem Cell Center core facility tour, School of Medicine Pathway Programs, graduate student research presentation, and Entrepreneurship training with UCR INNOVAR Program. The trainees are also invited to participate in a series of collaborative workshops through UCR Research in Science and Engineering (RISE) summer programs, hosted by CNAS and BCOE, on topics such as how to prepare a research abstract and poster presentations, research ethics, science communication and elevator pitch, personal branding and identity development, and conquering the imposter phenomenon.