Minot State University implemented all of our STEM Pathways Programs upon approval of the NSF-EPSCoR E-CORE grant. Those programs include Academic Year Research Experiences for undergraduates (AYRE), Scientist in the Classroom (SitC), Research Experiences for High School Students (REHSS), and Research Ridealongs (RR, AKA Research Shadows). In our implementation of these programs, both difficulties and successes tended to be related to one or more of the following categories: 1) M–12 engagement, and 2) institutional and cross-organizational administrative logistics (including onboarding youth researchers and navigating multi-campus grant coordination). Parlaying these difficulties into opportunities for growth of our programs are discussed along with the successes of our programs in the hope that implementation of similar programs elsewhere may learn from our difficulties and share in our successes.