STAR Program
STAR: What to expect
Building peer connections and academic success for first-generation NAU students
STAR Scholars will take two classes for a total of six credit hours. Students will need to be available for classes on Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Classes are one hour and 45 minutes and take place from 9 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. and 11 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. Additionally, STAR Scholars will participate in two (2) mandatory one-hour supplemental labs in the afternoon on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Supplemental labs give students extra time to understand the material covered in class while developing their academic skills.
Classes offered for NAU first generation students in the STAR program
All STAR classes fulfill liberal studies requirements for all academic majors on campus. These classes will provide you with a solid background of written, communication, presentation, and public speaking skills.
English 110: Rhetoric in the Media Accordion Closed
This course examines the use of rhetoric to analyze and write about popular cultural texts such as print media, advertising and commercials, television shows, films, cyberspace, and radio.
Communication Studies: Fundamentals of Public Speaking Accordion Closed
This course focuses on the development of basic skills for the creation and delivery of oral messages in public and in small groups, while emphasizing organization and reasoning.
Ethnic Studies 100: Introduction to Ethnic Studies Accordion Closed
This course offers an explanation of the social, political, historical, and cultural experiences of African Americans, Asian Americans, Latino(as)/Chicano(as), and Native Americans in the United States.
Sociology 101: Introduction to Sociology Accordion Closed
This course explores the basic concepts and interpretations of human action and the significance of a sociological perspective on the human experience. There will only be one section of SOC 101, and it is limited to students participating in the SBS STARS academic cohort. Students in the SBS STARS cohort will take Sociology 101 instead of Communication Studies.
Applied Indigenous studies 101: Introduction to Indigenous Studies Accordion Closed
In this course we will examine the current conditions of policy, government, natural resources, expressive culture, language, and the education of indigenous peoples at a local, national, and global level. To do this, we will utilize a lens of multiple indigenous epistemologies and historical experiences that include pre-contact and post-contact timelines to learn how broader topics of colonialism, sovereignty, and self-determination inform contemporary issues of indigenous communities; and the contributions by indigenous peoples to world cultures.
Peer mentoring: Get advice from experienced undergraduates
All STAR students will participate in peer mentoring during the program in June and throughout their first year at NAU.
Program Assistants (PAs) are upper-level undergraduate students who have mastered the academic and social rigors of college life. They are familiar with the resources on campus and are experts in navigating the campus climate.
Program Assistants provide mentoring and support in the following areas:
- Academic advisement
- The financial aid process
- Career and academic opportunities
- Personal guidance
Other considerations
Do I have to go to freshman orientation? Accordion Closed
All students selected for the STAR program will need to sign up for Northern Arizona University’s Freshman Orientation in June. To register yourself and guests for orientation, and for more information about orientation, please visit the orientation website.
Do I need a computer to participate in the program? Accordion Closed
Since this summer’s STAR Program will take place virtually, you will need to have a computer and internet access in order to complete the courses, participate in virtual mentoring, and attend our required virtual events.