Our Mission - Catalyst Cohort in the MHC

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Participation in undergraduate research and study abroad elevates a student's academic success and postgraduate options. However, the processes to pursue those high-impact practices are interdepartmental, winding, and sometimes full of friction. This is especially the case for students without support from a patient mentor or experienced parent and for students with limited practice advocated for themselves in spaces where they are underrepresented. 

We want to be the catalyst for first-year students who are first-generation college students, Pell Grant-eligible students, and/or minority students. The Catalyst Cohort in the Mahurin Honors College is a collaborative endeavor to provide the safety, belonging, self-esteem, and self-efficacy students need to access self-actualizing opportunities like undergraduate research and study abroad. The Catalyst Cohort earns participating students credit toward the Mahurin Honors College curriculum through mentored processes to identify interests, chart pathways to relevant research, and elevate study abroad options. 

The incentive? Guaranteed funding to turn possibilities into plans, and with stronger retention and career outcomes as a result.