Student Inquiry and Research, IMSA's formalized program for independent study, supports student investigations conducted either off-campus (formerly known as Mentorship) and on-campus (formerly known as Student Inquiry). This program began in 1989 with twenty-eight student participants who conducted investigations off-campus at local institutions. Participation grew steadily as the program matured. Although student participation now varies slightly each year, recent trends sugggest that about 250 students will participate in Student Inquiry and Research each year and about 75% of all IMSA students will conduct at least one investigation during their enrollment at the academy.