Are you a biology or pre-biology major who transferred to UNC Charlotte from a community college? Are you an excellent student who relishes a challenge? Do you have financial need? If so, you may qualify for the new National Science Foundation-supported SPARC4 initiative, a partnership between UNC Charlotte, Gaston College and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.
This innovative initiative is possible as a result of $4.5 million in funding from the National Science Foundation’s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) program. The collaborative effort seeks to increase the number of students who complete both associate of science and bachelor’s of science degrees in the biological sciences.
The STEM Persistence and Retention via Curricula, Centralization, Cohorts, and Collaboration Project will provide 156 scholarships over five years, beginning in fall 2018. For each year of the new initiative, 10-12 students at each community college will be chosen for one-year renewable scholarships, faculty and peer mentoring, and targeted advising designed to promote successful transfer to the biology or pre-biology major at UNC Charlotte in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. Students will be eligible for continued scholarships and academic support when they transfer to UNC Charlotte. Any remaining scholarships at UNC Charlotte will be given to students with A.S. degrees who meet other eligibility requirements.
SPARC4 students benefit from:
- Three-year renewable scholarships of up to $6,000 (at community college) or $10,000 (at UNC Charlotte) per year based on financial need and academic merit
- Targeted advising designed to promote successful transfer to the biology or pre biology major at UNC Charlotte
- Faculty and peer mentors
- Interactive hands-on STEM classes
- Research and internship opportunities
Who is eligible?
Students who successfully complete the associate of science degree at Gaston College and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College as a scholarship recipient and who meet all eligibility criteria at one of the partner community colleges will automatically be offered scholarships in the biology major at UNC Charlotte.
For scholarships not filled by students transferring from the SPARC4 program at the two community college partners, recruitment and selection will emphasize identifying transfer students from community colleges who:
- Have earned an AS degree
- Are high performing in math and science
- Have unmet financial need (verified through the FAFSA application)
- Are intending to major in biology
What can YOU do with a degree in biology?
- Diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries
- Work in pharmaceuticals
- Teach at a high school or university
- Find new ways to use natural resources while protecting the environment
- Help investigate crimes by collecting and analyzing forensic evidence
- Understand the role genes play in diseases and health
- Develop and test immunizations
- Identify new plant species helpful for food scarcity, disease and other issues
- Research factors in the environment that affect human and wildlife health
- Prepare for medical school