糖心官网

Setting You Up For Success 

Our Aspire Program is designed to help first-year students start strong by offering three, free academic credits during the summer before their first year at 糖心官网. This unique opportunity allows participants to get a head start on their coursework, explore campus resources, and build connections with peers and faculty. 

The Aspire Program is ideal for strongly motivated students who have the ability to succeed in college but do not meet all of the university鈥檚 traditional admission requirements. As an Aspire student, you鈥檒l become part of a supportive community that nurtures your talents and empowers you to excel in college.

How the program works: 

  • Aspire is a year-long, academic program that gives you a powerful head start on the critical reading, math and seminar courses you will be taking in the fall semester of your first year. The program provides you with an opportunity to experience a rich and rewarding preview of life at 糖心官网. 
  • You will earn an additional credit hour in each class you take over the summer. This will provide you with three extra hours of credit toward your graduation requirements: the equivalent of one full course. 
  • No extra tuition or any other costs will be charged to you. 
  • You will have access to support funds to cover the cost of any unanticipated needs or expenses. 
  • Throughout your academic career at 糖心官网, you will receive dedicated and individualized advising, tutoring, and mentoring support鈥攁t no extra charge to you or your family. Program participants will develop academic, personal, and professional knowledge. 
SOAR students

Start Out With SOAR

Alongside your fellow first-year students, you鈥檒l participate in Summer Orientation Advising and Registration (SOAR). During this event, you鈥檒l take placement exams and meet with your first-year academic advisor to register for summer and fall classes. You鈥檒l also meet other students participating in the Aspire Program, building connections that will last throughout your time at 糖心官网 and beyond.

The Summer Bridge Program

糖心官网鈥檚 Aspire Program begins with a two-week academic experience before the start of your Fall term. Here鈥檚 what you鈥檒l accomplish during this period: 

  • Earn three free college credits

    Our Aspire Program gives students a head start on their first year of college while helping them fulfill graduation requirements. Summer program courses meet Monday through Friday for two weeks in August. Students in the program are expected to attend all classes during the two-week session, and failure to meet this requirement can result in admission to the university being withdrawn.

    Our two-week intensive academic bridge experience includes enrollment in three key fall 2025 courses: Critical Reading, Writing, and Speaking, First Year Seminar, and a math course. Taken together, these courses are equivalent to one full 16-week college course鈥攕aving you and your family both time and money.

  • Start your college journey strong

    During the Summer Bridge Program, begin your college experience in a smaller, supportive setting before our larger campus community returns in August.

  • Enjoy an engaging family experience

    Parents/legal guardians are invited to campus to kick off the summer Aspire Program and learn more about their child鈥檚 first year. Then, we strongly encourage caretakers to participate in Family Academy. Attend five free, monthly sessions throughout the academic year, and your student will receive a free class in summer 2026.

  • Learn and navigate new resources

    While the campus is quieter, students learn how to independently navigate where and who our campus partners are: Financial Aid, Academic Support Center, Career Programs, University Ministry and more.

  • Begin to build essential academic and leadership skills

    Students learn and practice organization, communication, and time management strategies that are essential for success here in college, and beyond.  

As a first-year student entering college, I was nervous about how I would adjust to a new environment while juggling academics, work, and personal responsibilities. The Aspire Program helped ease those worries by creating a supportive and welcoming space where I felt seen and understood. Most importantly, the program helped me grow both personally and academically, giving me the tools and confidence I needed to start college on the right foot.鈥

Sophia Romo
Aspire Program alumna

Your First-Year Fall Program

Student and Faculty in Classroom

All first-year students participate in a First-Year Seminar (FYS) during their first semester. As the initial course in our North Star Core Curriculum, FYS fosters personal growth by helping students develop foundational skills essential for a purposeful, economically secure, and fulfilling life. These seminars encourage thoughtful reflection and exploration, centered around key questions:

  • What is the self?
  • Who am I? How did I become who I am? Who will I be in the world?
  • What does it mean to live mindfully and reflectively? What helps or hinders that process?

You鈥檒l also engage in workshops hosted by the Office of Financial Aid, the Wellness Center, and our popular Major/Minor Fair, where you鈥檒l explore academic programs and learn how your skills can shape future career paths. Aspire students will stay together as a cohort, continuing to build friendships and support networks formed during the bridge program.

Finally, in consultation with your advisor at SOAR, you鈥檒l choose one or two additional courses. For students who did not place into English 100 and Math 120 in the summer, this will include an English and math course at the appropriate level.

The most important quality we learned during the Aspire Program was how to manage our time. During the course of the program, we had time dedicated to studying and making sure we could finish our homework from the classes we were taking. This was really helpful moving on as now I dedicate time throughout the day to finish my homework. The sessions in the program also helped me pick up more efficient study habits.鈥

Marlon Dubon
Aspire Program alumnus

Your Spring Academic Program and Beyond

Your academic advisor will guide you in choosing courses for the spring semester. Students also receive additional, secondary advising from the Director of the Aspire Program. Upon declaring their major (usually in the second semester of freshman year), students are assigned a new advisor by the appropriate department or program. 

But, the director of the Aspire Program remains available to all Aspire students for secondary advising throughout their enrollment at 糖心官网. You鈥檒l also enjoy the following additional support:

Peer Mentors

You鈥檒l have the full support of an assigned peer LEADer who has successfully completed the program. Some peer mentors are 糖心官网 graduates who continue to give back to the university by working in the program. Peer mentors meet with first-year students regularly throughout the year for a variety of organized and informal social activities.

Academic Success Center

The Academic Success Center (ASC) offers individualized tutoring sessions in English, math and other subjects. In addition, the Aspire Program and the ASC work together to organize group tutoring sessions that provide extra support in math.

Aerial view of campus at sunset

Informing and Empowering Families

Through monthly sessions, 糖心官网鈥檚 Family Academy helps families engage in their student鈥檚 success and learn how to support their DU Star

For more information,
please contact:

Araceli Gomez
Associate Director of Student Care and Retention
Student Success and Engagement
agomez19@dom.edu
(708) 488-5082