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Society-Ready Graduates
Horizons Unlimited: The Science Program
Issue
High school students who are deciding to enter college often feel overwhelmed
about what course of study to undertake, particularly in the sciences.
The University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences runs
an interdisciplinary summer program that offers high school juniors
and seniors an opportunity to experience one week of college, including
dormitory experience, classes and after-class activities. The program
is designed to introduce high school students to college life, to help
them learn more about science majors, and to recruit more students to
attend the UA.
What has been done?
Horizons Unlimited: The Science Program is a week-long residential science
program offered each summer at the University of Arizona. The program
offers high school students the opportunity to experience college life,
gain self-confidence, and acquire academic credit through a residence
program held on the University of Arizona campus in Tucson. The program
is open to high school students who have completed their sophomore year
with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and who are in the top 25 percent of their
class. Course offerings include fitness, nutrition and food technology;
genetic engineering; environmental science; the science of human development;
health and biology of animals; microbiology and health; and biotechnology
and bioengineering. Most of the 120 students come from various parts
of Arizona, but there are usually out-of-state and international students
in the program as well.
Impact
A ten-year study of the program, completed in 1998, showed that out
of 1,000 participants, 50 percent of the students later enrolled in
the University of Arizona; of those, 25 percent attended the College
of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
“This program gave me both the opportunity to learn a lot and
have a fun time while experiencing college life.”
–participant, 2000
“It was really great, and confirmed my decision to come to the
UA.”
–participant, 2000
“The program was well taught by the T.A.’s, professors, and
guest speakers, and the material was interesting. It was great because
almost every lecture was followed by a lab to reinforce the material
we had just learned.”
–participant, 2000
Funding
Participants pay a program fee
UA College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Contact
Bobby A. Browning, program director
Office of Academic Programs, The University of Arizona
P.O. Box 210036, Tucson, AZ 85721-0036
Tel: (520) 621-1145 Office, FAX: (520) 621-8662
Email: browning@ag.arizona.edu
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