The proposed goal of this program is to increase recruitment and retention of U.S. enlisted military veterans into undergraduate science majors. Veterans represent a diverse and underserved undergraduate population. The Warrior-Scholar Project runs two-week college-preparatory ‘bootcamps’ on university campuses aimed at giving enlisted veterans the skills and confidence needed to succeed in college. Bootcamps are led by enlisted veterans who have already made a successful transition into college, in collaboration with faculty and students from each host institution.

Until recently, the program primarily focused on reading and writing skills. In 2016, Marla Geha designed a science bootcamp for the Warrior-Scholar Project and she successfully oversaw a pilot course at Yale University. Below are her proposed activities that ensure the long-term success of the Warrior-Scholar science program:

1. Help ‘franchise’ the science curriculum to universities across the U.S. 
2. Create a research fellowship program for Warrior-Scholar science alumni 
3. Further strengthen the community of Warrior-Scholar scientists by improving online alumni resources and running a biennial alumni conference. The Warrior-Scholar Project serves an at risk, but high potential, undergraduate population which is not engaged by other programs in the country

Learn more about the program here.