CNAS Freshman Scholars Program

What is the CNAS Freshman Scholars Program?

CNAS Freshman Scholars Program is the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences' first year learning community. Learning Communities are successful programs designed to build a community of students with common academic goals and dedication to academic excellence. Members of each community take the majority of their first year classes with the same group of 24 students each quarter. Each group attends classes, studies, learns, and excels together. Students in the program benefit from vital support services needed to succeed in UC Riverside's rigorous science and math courses. Students in the program also benefit from efficient course registration. At the end of their first year, CNAS Freshmen Scholars students will be given the opportunity to apply for a paid research position with a UCR CNAS faculty member for Summer 2008.

Who is eligible to join the CNAS Freshman Scholars Program?

• Exclusively for freshmen CNAS students planning to enroll in CHEM 1W, CHEM 1A or CHEM 1HA (Honors Chemistry) in the Fall 2007.

Curriculum:

• All CNAS Freshmen Scholars students will enroll in a freshman academic advising seminar taught by a UCR CNAS faculty member [NASC 93]. Instructional support for each section will also be provided by a CNAS professional academic advisor. The course will introduce students to academic values and expectations, academic and career planning, and give them an opportunity to select a faculty mentor and to get to know their professional academic advisor.
• Students will enroll in three quarters of the CHEM 1 series [CHEM 1A/HA (fall), CHEM 1B/HB (winter) and CHEM 1C/HC (spring)] or alternatively CHEM 1W (fall), CHEM 1A (winter), and CHEM 1B (spring) during the freshman year.
• Students will also enroll in appropriate Mathematics courses depending on their placement on UCR’s Mathematics Advisory Exam and their major requirements.
• Students who are eligible and required by their major will enroll in BIOL 5A/5B during winter and spring quarters.
• Students will attend and participate in workshops organized by the Learning Center to promote a successful freshman year in the sciences. These valuable workshops are led by trained peer mentors and will meet twice every week in a classroom setting.

Result:

• Students who participate in the CNAS Freshmen Scholars Program get a good, solid foundation in science and mathematics courses needed for success in upper division course work in the college.
• The students who complete this program will acquire better study skills which can be applied to all subjects, learned from the workshops through the Learning Center.
• Upon completion of the program, students will have the opportunity to apply for a paid summer research position with a faculty member in CNAS.
• Participants in the program may become peer mentors at the Learning Center and may have the opportunity to become future workshop leaders for the CNAS Freshman Scholars program.