The NAU Honors College, Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (OURCA) and Naomi Lee, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, are proud to announce a new partnership with the Flinn Foundation to offer an on-campus high school summer research program starting in Summer 2024. Thanks to the Flinn Foundation, NAU will expand the Cultural and Academic Research Experience (CARE) program. Led by Lee and Tina Zecher, assistant director in the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity, the CARE research program will provide 20 high school students with the opportunity to live on campus in the NAU Honors Living and Learning Community and complete eight weeks of lab research with renowned faculty. Students also will benefit from professional development activities and receive automatic admission to the NAU Honors College.
The CARE research program expansion increases NAU’s ability to cultivate and recruit talented high school students, especially those from underserved and underrepresented backgrounds. The CARE research expansion also ensures that students in northern Arizona can participate in on-campus educational experiences that were previously unavailable. “This program underscores our institutional commitment to provide access and excellence in undergraduate education, and our dedication to providing high-impact practices,” said NAU Honors College Dean Kevin Gustafson.
The program expansion marks a shared commitment between NAU and the Flinn Foundation to support the next generation of STEM and bioscience leaders. Mary O’Reilly, vice president for bioscience research programs at the Flinn Foundation stated, “Flinn’s partnership with NAU on this grant reflects Dr. Lee’s record of facilitating rich scientific-research experiences for students, the excellence of NAU’s Honors College and the importance of making opportunities like the CARE program available to a broader range of the many high-potential students in northern Arizona.”
The CARE research program highlights many of the strategic priorities outlined in NAU’s Access to Excellence strategic roadmap, emphasizing a commitment to educate, support and empower students from all backgrounds, identities and lived experiences to reach their full potential. Prospective high school students interested in applying for the 2024 summer CARE program should visit the CARE Website.