The P2Bio Scholarship Program aims to support New Hampshire community college students who have significant financial need as they pursue a four-year degree in the life sciences at UNH.
The program provides financial support and academic programming with the intention of increasing the persistence and success of community college transfer students at UNH and into their life science professions. Program participants will engage in workshops while at the community college to help them with the transfer process. Once at UNH, they will engage in a professional skills seminar. This seminar will teach skills associated with collegiate academic success and career preparation while building a supportive cohort of peers and establishing a network of faculty mentors. Financial support will be provided to P2Bio participants at UNH through a scholarship. In addition, participants will be given financial support to pursue either an undergraduate research experience or a study abroad opportunity while at UNH.
Program Details
Students in the P2Bio Program have access to financial, academic, and social support through scholarships and programing:
- Participate in professional skills workshops during the year before intended transfer to UNH to provide you with the tools for navigating the transfer process
- Receive $10,000 per year for two years for UNH attendance costs
- Participate in a professional skills seminar at UNH to provide you with tools for academic success and career preparation in a socially supportive environment
- Receive mentoring and support from UNH P2Bio-affiliated faculty
- Receive $5,000 to put towards either an undergraduate research experience or a study abroad opportunity
Opportunities at UNH
Are you excited to work alongside faculty members to answer novel scientific questions?
COLSA faculty members are engaged in cutting-edge research in a wide variety of areas within the life sciences. This includes, but is not limited to: cancer biology, host-microbe interactions, adaptive evolution in animals, the neurobiology of pain and anxiety, animal movement, the impact of climate change on small mammals, vertebrate conservation, the causes of marine microbial death, coastal restoration ecology, and undergraduate biology education.
Students at UNH are encouraged to participate in research by working with a faculty member in their lab. The Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research offers a number of programs that can provide financial support for students participating in research. Additionally, UNH offers a week-long celebration of undergraduate research every April with a series of undergraduate research conferences. Almost 2,000 undergraduates present their research in a UNH undergraduate conference each year!
Are you ready to immerse yourself in another culture?
Studying abroad can be a transformative experience for students as they learn about other cultures and reflect on their own experiences. The UNH COLSA, in partnership with the EcoQuest Education Foundation Te Rarangahau Taiao in Aotearoa New Zealand, offers the EcoQuest study abroad program in New Zealand, with two programs: Ecology in Action and Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Aotearoa. Both programs are offered each fall and spring semester, and the Ecology in Action program is also offered as a summer experience. Courses taken as part of EcoQuest are considered UNH courses, and thus they are automatically credited towards a student’s UNH degree. Most students can transfer their financial aid to cover costs associated with EcoQuest.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the P2Bio Scholarship Program at UNH, students must:
- Complete their Associate’s degree at Great Bay Community College, Manchester Community College, or New Hampshire Technical Institute
- Be accepted at UNH-Durham
- Enroll full-time (at least 12 credits per semester) at UNH in one of the following life science majors: Biochemistry, Molecular, and Cellular Biology, Biology, Biomedical Science (Medical and Veterinary Sciences option), Environmental Conservation and Sustainability, Environmental Science, Forestry, Genetics, Marine, Estuarine, and Freshwater Biology, Neuroscience and Behavior, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, or Zoology
- Have a 3.0 GPA
- Qualify for financial aid with an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of one half or less of the Cost of Attendance at UNH-Durham
- Be a US citizen
Applying
Students interested in applying to the P2Bio program should do the following:
- Submit the free Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.gov by March 1st for fall admission and by Oct. 15th for spring admission. Include UNH’s federal school code: 002589.
- Complete the NH Transfer Application for admission and submit to UNH by April 1st for fall admission and by Oct. 15th for spring admission. A link to the NH Transfer Application can be found on the UNH Transfer Admissions website – scroll down to “Step One: Completed Application”
- Download the application packet and return it completed to Prof. Melissa Aikens at melissa.aikens@unh.edu by May 1st for fall admission or Dec. 15th for spring admission. The application packet will ask you to answer a short essay and complete a personal statement.
- Request a letter of recommendation from one faculty member to be sent to Prof. Melissa Aikens at melissa.aikens@unh.edu by May 1st for fall admission or Dec. 15th for spring admission.
Contact Information
If you have any questions about the P2Bio Program, please email Professor Melissa Aikens at melissa.aikens@unh.edu.
This program is sponsored by the National Science Foundation DUE-1930308
