CULTURAL AND ACADEMIC RESEARCH EXPERIENCE (CARE)

What You Get From Our Program

Mentor Experience Laboratory Experience College Prep

Additional Opportunities

Students can seek additional opportunities through the

and at the Summer internship for INdigenous peoples in Genomics (SING)

CARE Instagram

Free Housing for Participants

Make sure to check out the honors dorm to see where you could be living this Summer!

CARE in the news!

The CARE program aims to increase the number of students that represent the Southwest including Native Americans in science, technology, engineering, math, and medical (STEMM) fields by engaging high school students at an earlier age (15+ years) through culturally relevant training in chemistry, biology, and healthcare fields.

Summer 2025 Program

Please apply by April 4, 2025

The Summer 2025 program will be offered only in-person from June 2 – July 26, 2025. The Summer 2025 virtual program has been put on hold until Summer 2026. Arizona and non-Arizona residents are welcome to apply to the program.

We are accepting up to 22 in-person participants. All participants will receive:
- Hands-on research experience
- Mentor experience
- College preparation through professional development sessions (resume writing, college applications, etc.)
- a stipend up to $4,500 (if participant is in good standing throughout program duration)
- honors dorm housing
- Meal plan/meal stipend
- Automatic admittance into the Honors College at NAU on successful completion of the program*.
  - *Participant still has to apply to NAU as an undergraduate and submit a housing portal application
  - All Honors fees waived
All participants must:
- Be available for 90% of the sessions.
  - Prior approval for absences are required.
- Be available from 9am – 4pm MST.
  - Breaks will be provided throughout the day.

To comply with federal funding eligibility for CARE has been modified:

Interested in chemistry and/or STEMM (science, technology, engineering, math, medical)
Is a military affiliated child (dependents of active duty/veteran) or attend a military connected school.
16+ years by June 2nd, 2025
- under 16 year old participants will be determined on case-by-case basis

If you do not meet any of these criteria you are still welcome to apply.

CARE 2024 Summer Schedule – The 2025 schedule has not been finalized. However, it will closely resemble the 2024 schedule.

This is a PDF/printer friendly version available for download.

This paperwork needs to be submitted to Kaelyn.Acothley@nau.edu upon acceptance into the program. We have created 2 useful videos to help you fill out the and . The following paperwork is REQUIRED:

Assumption-of-Risk-Waiver-Release-and-Consent-for-Non-Student-Minor-Participation

Behavioral-Expectations-for-Non-Student-Minors

Disclosure-and-Approval-of-One-on-One-Interation-with-a-Non-Student-Minor

Non-Student-Minor-Image-Release

Vendor-Authorization

Upon acceptance into the program participant must refer to the Next Steps document for deadlines and further instructions that include:
- Completing the Summer required paperwork
- Submitting official/unofficial transcripts
- Upon acceptance applying as a non-degree seeking student for the Summer to receive 3 hours of university credit for CHM299 (tentative)
  - Must submit vaccine records to Campus Health Services (chs.records@nau.edu)

The following paperwork does not need to be signed and returned, but does need to be reviewed as it is useful:

Permission slip – Will need to be filled out on a case-by-case basis as some labs might do fieldwork off campus.

In Person Campus Map – A map of campus for when you arrive to NAU

CARE Timesheet Fillable – Will be used to track hours

CARE Packing List – A list of things to bring, and things to not bring for the Summer.

What a great opportunity for our Native youth to participate in all these programs. It’s a great steppingstone for them before they venture into college.

Spring 2025 Workshops

Our Spring workshops are to allow students to gain perspective into different areas of STEM, learn from a professional in their field about what they do, and how they got to where they are now. Every month (once a month) is a new topic, with a different speaker, or multiple speakers. Each workshop has a unique hands on activity implemented with the speaker’s topic.

Participants in good standing from the 2025 Spring events will receive priority enrollment processing for the Summer 2025 CARE program, and up to a $500 stipend.

The spring workshop 2025 application has been closed. We encourage you to apply for the 8-week Summer research program when the application opens!

February 5, 2025 – Health Science
March 5, 2025 – Environmental
April 9, 2025- Health Science
May 7, 2025 –

Dates and topics are subject to change.

You can attend either virtually or in-person. All events will be held on NAU campus from 5-8pm AZ Time.

To comply with federal funding eligibility for CARE has been modified:

Interested in chemistry and/or STEMM (science, technology, engineering, math, medical)
Is a military affiliated child (dependents of active duty/veteran) or attend a military connected school.
15+ years by February 5, 2025
- under 15 year old participants will be determined on case-by-case basis

If you do not meet any of these criteria you are still welcome to apply.

This is the paperwork for the Spring workshops and NOT for the Summer program.

This paperwork needs to be submitted to Kaelyn.Acothley@nau.edu by January 26, 2025 upon acceptance. We have created 2 useful videos to help you fill out the and .

The supplementary safety plan does not need to be signed, but does need to be read and reviewed by the participant and their parent/guardian.

I am amazed to see that my daughter has so much ambition and so talented and endured all these new studies. This program has helped my daughter to explore a different outlook of socializing, teamwork, and to be more creative.