  Undergraduate research has become an essential mode of engaging and retaining
students in physics. At Loyola University Chicago, first-year physics students
have been participating in the Freshman Projects program for over twenty years,
which has coincided with a period of significant growth for our department. In
this paper, we describe how the Freshman Projects program has played an
important role in advancing undergraduate research at Loyola, and the profound
impact it has made on our program. We conclude with suggestions for adoption of
similar programs at other institutions.
