NU-SCI Outreach - Foundation Year

One of the goals of NU-SCI is to increase interest and success in the sciences for students who are underrepresented on the basis of their race/ethnicity as well as first-generation college students. We are trying to reach this goal by working with students who are part of Northeastern University’s Foundation Year Program.

Foundation Year is an innovative first-year college program for high school graduates and students holding GED completion certificates who live in Boston. The program seeks students who would like to pursue a degree at Northeastern and would benefit from a comprehensive first year college experience featuring rigorous academics, career exploration and wraparound support services including advising, tutoring, mentoring, social networking, and work ready skills.  Students who successfully complete Foundation Year will matriculate into a degree program at Northeastern through one of two pathways: through Northeastern’s College of Professional Studies (CPS) or through one of Northeastern’s seven undergraduate day colleges by meeting academic standards.

What Does NU-SCI Offer Foundation Year Students?

Before COVID, we offered monthly lunches for Foundation Year students in which faculty and PhD students gave short talks about their research and shared information about getting involved in science. These gatherings were moved to a virtual format for Spring 2020 and Fall 2020.

In Spring 2021, after getting feedback from FY students, we decided to stop our monthly virtual gatherings and instead offer study groups for students in Principles of Biology (BIO1105) and General Chemistry 2 (CHM1200). These study groups are led by students in the different departments. Please email w.smith@northeastern.edu or mjo@neu.edu if you are interested!

In Spring 2021, we also created a section on the FY Canvas page. We have posted videos about the different types of research going on in each science department and let you know how you can get involved. If there is anything you would also like to see on this page, we are open to suggestions!