Student Success & Undergraduate Affairs Update
NSM Students Inducted in to Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society
42 NSM students were inducted into Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society, which recognizes and honors exceptional academic achievement in the arts and sciences. Each year, University of Houston invites a few select students to join the society based on their liberal arts and sciences coursework and strong academic achievement. As members of Phi Beta Kappa, the students will be able to connect with a network of outstanding members across a vast listing of career fields including U.S. Presidents, Supreme Court Justices, and Nobel Laureates.
OFYP Field Trip to TCMi
A Field Trip to the Texas Medical Center’s Innovation Lab (TMCi) was hosted by the OFYP on March 6. Students toured the founders’ space, learned more about the TMCi, and engaged in a founders’ challenge. Thirteen students and 4 SLT members attended the event. Field trips provide first year student exposure to medical facilities and local industries. The aim is to complement the academic classroom experience with experiential observation in real-world settings. It also helps to build community within NSM and provide networking opportunities with professionals for the students.
NSM Undergraduate Advising Center Spring Walk-In Event
The UAC held its annual spring advising event on March 25–26. For 170 students, the event provided access to on the spot advising, resource provided through tabling by campus partners. Including the OFYP, teachHOUSTON, the Biology/Biochemistry department, LAUNCH, CAPS, and more.
Office of First Year Programs Update
Personnel
The OFYP’s Program Director, Kayla Molnar, was selected to participate in the University’s StrengthsFinder Champions training program on March 27.
Recruitment, Transition, Retention
NSM Assured Admission Requirements - Updated assured admissions requirements for NSM have been submitted to Admissions. Assured (or automatic) admissions policy guarantee admisision to applicants who meet the specific, pre-defined academic criteria for UH and for the college.
Academic Information Sessions, in partnership with the Office of Admissions, were held on March 20 and April 3 to provide prospective students and guests with information about the College, academic departments, student resources, signature experiences, and admissions information. Faculty member, Dr. Ana Medrano provided insights into the college programs and teachHOPUSTON staff, KadDarius James supported the event.
Cougar Preview - The OFYP participated in the Office of Admissions’ Cougar Preview on March 7, an open house event for prospective students. 627 students and 801 guests for a total of 1,428 registered to attend. Of these, 44 students and 63 guests that RSVP’d were NSM. 27 students and 38 guests that were NSM attended. There were 8 SLT members who assisted with the event, which included a tabling session in the morning and an information session in the afternoon. The information session included a faculty presentation from Chemistry (Dr. Yang), a student panel, and an opportunity to tour NSM facilities.
The Academic Excellence Scholarship Call Campaign to support enrollment yield effort continues as the Student Leadership Team contact prospective students and their parents/supporters. Approximately 250 students majoring in Chemistry, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, and Physics were contacted to date. The campaign will continue through April.
NSM Assured Admission Requirements updates have been submitted to the Office of Admissions for adoption/publication for Fall 2027.
RGI Reports have been completed for 216 FTIC25 Cohort students whose support level was indicated as Moderate or High Risk.
First-Year Seminar - Progress reports were completed on 10MAR26. Guest speakers will be presenting various topics to enrolled students, including:
- Tuesday, March 24 - Undergraduate Advising Center (Degree Progress Planning)
- Tuesday, March 31 & April 7 - NSM Career Center (Introduction to Services, Networking)
Student Leadership Team (SLT) Update
A general and co-chair meeting was held on March 5 and March 25 respectively, where student leaders engaged in team building, celebrating wins, and work time opportunities in specific Service Areas.
Study Nights hosted by the SLT were held on March 9, for Calculus I (20 students attended) and on March 26 for Chemistry I (35 students attended)
Volunteer events
Project C.U.R.E. - SLT members volunteered on February 27, where they sorted medical supplies for future distribution. Fourteen (14) students, 3 SLT members and 1 professional staff attended the event. This event earned a 5 star rating from students.
Hermann Park - The OFYP hosted a volunteer event at Hermann Park on Friday, March 27, where students assisted in weeding to help the garden thrive. 6 RSVP’d, 6 attended, and 3 SLT members assisted with the event. NSM OFYP and SLT volunteered at a tabling session for the NSM Undergraduate Advising Center Walk-In Advising Event on March 25-26. Study Nights to support students’ academic success were held on March 9 for Calculus I (20 attended) and March 26, for Chemistry I (35 attended).
A Mentorship Mixer - Spring Bash was hosted by the SLT on April 1. The event provided an opportunity for mentees in the Peer Mentorship Program to de-stress and get crafty! 5 SLT members assisted with the event.
Dean’s First-Year Excellence Award (DFEA) application reviews are being conducted to determine awardees to be celebrated at the First-Year Finale on May 5.
Recruitment and selection for SLT members for the 2026–2027 Cohort is underway. 45 complete applications were received and 40 were invited for interviews. In addition, a Watch Party was held on March 24 to review the video portion of the applications (26 SLT members attended the event). Group Interviews were held on March 31 to evaluate applicants’ teamwork, critical thinking, and interactive skills (35 members attended). 4 applicants were scheduled for a virtual make-up interview. Service Area Assignments are made, and newly selected leaders will be notified in early April.
teachHOUSTON Update
Dr. Karen Graham attended the Southern Educational Research Association Meeting in New Orleans on Feb 17–19. She currently serves as a Board Member at Large and during the conference served as a discussant for the graduate student seminar. She also presented a session titled, The Leaky Bucket Metaphor: Lived Experiences of Secondary STEM Teacher Residents focused on teacher residencies that have emerged as a promising solution to the STEM teacher shortage.
Mr. KaDarrius James, teachHOUSTON Program Director, attended the NSM Undergraduate Advising Center’s Spring Walk-Up Advising Event on March 25–26 along with other teachHOUSTON team members as part of a recruitment effort to attract NSM students to minor in teachHOUSTON or join their Alternative Certificate Program.
On March 27, Drs. Paige Evans, Karen Graham, and Karla Garza led the third Community of Practice (CoP) meeting for the Collaborative Research program on Improving Teacher Retention and the Effectiveness through Knowledge Sharing (iTREKS) program on Studying STEM Teachers in High Need Schools. The presentation focused on the recruitment efforts of different CoP partners around the nation. This is a five-year, multi-university partnership between Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, Middle Tennessee State University, University of Colorado- Colorado Springs, Central Washington University, North Dakota State University, University of Nevada- Reno University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and University of Houston.
NSM Career Center Updates
The NSM Career Center hosted high-impact career development activities designed to connect STEM students with industry, government, and professional school pathways while strengthening career readiness skills. Collectively, these programs reflect the NSM Career Center’s commitment to delivering diverse, experiential learning opportunities that prepare students for careers across industry, government, and healthcare.
The 2026 Internship Bootcamp, the Career Center’s flagship professional development Spring event, was held on March 7 at the Tilman J. Fertitta College of Medicine. It brought together 75 students and a wide range of leading employers. In addition to corporate partners, Capco and Sysco, and the Career Fair sponsor, NOV, employers from Yokogawa, UH Human Resources, Tilman J. Fertitta College of Medicine, Targa, SLAC Lab, MD Anderson, HPE, the FBI, DOW Chemical, DataSmart, Chevron, Advantage, and Adroit all shared their knowledge and expertise throughout the day’s event. The bootcamp featured small-group mentoring with industry professionals, mock interviews with real-time feedback, and TED-style talks on workforce trends. Students gained direct access to recruiters and actionable insights on how to successfully prepare for the 2026 hiring cycle.
An AMA Industry Panel on Consulting was hosted by CAPCO on March 10. This virtual panel introduced 30 NSM students to consulting careers, with a focus on how STEM majors can transition into the field. Industry professionals from CAPCO, a NSMCC corporate partner, shared insights on required skills, internship preparation, and strategies for standing out in a competitive applicant pool. The session emphasized the versatility of STEM degrees in consulting and encouraged exploration of interdisciplinary career paths.
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Information Session on Patent Examiner Careers was held March 24. The virtual information session highlighted career opportunities in public service and innovation. Students learned how technical backgrounds in STEM fields align with patent examiner roles, gained application guidance, and explored pathways to contribute to national innovation infrastructure.
An FBI Case Study & Careers in STEM, Tech, and Intelligence session was held March 24. Co-hosted with the Bauer Business School and Cullen College of Engineering, this interactive session provided 75+ students with firsthand experience solving a real FBI case study. Participants engaged directly with FBI professionals, explored careers in cybersecurity, intelligence, and analytics, and learned about internships, hiring processes, and mission-driven career pathways.
A First-Year Seminar Presentation presented by the NSMCC Associate Director and Career Counselor, Mrs. Lee Ann Lawrence, provided a comprehensive overview of available services while emphasizing the importance of building and diversifying a professional portfolio from the start of students’ academic journeys. A live demonstration of the HireNSM platform gave students a firsthand look at tools, job and internship opportunities, and resource navigation. The presentation concluded with an interactive Q&A segment, encouraging student engagement and clarifying next steps in their career journeys. A second presentation on networking and gaining experience will take place later in April.
Medical School Application Workshop Series In partnership with the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine Admissions and Outreach team, was presented on March 31. This was the first of a three-part series which was designed to guide pre-med students through the medical school application process. Students received an overview of application components, academic expectations, and ways to build a competitive profile. Additional sessions will continue in April.