Partnering with Teachers

Nominating your Students

Teachers together with the administrative team from their respective schools will determine process for selecting a maximum of three candidates for application to the Voelcker Academy. Each school team is required to submit a form via SurveyMonkey link that will include a description of the criteria utilized to select their applicant candidates. This document is to be submitted with the applicant candidate names. Name submissions will not be accepted without the formal submission via SurveyMonkey Form. Disclosure of the nominee selection process is to ensure transparency and to avoid any conflicts of interest; such as familial relationships between nominees and members of the selection committee. Students whose names are submitted by each school will be given access to an electronic application link where they will complete the application documents online. Paper applications will not be accepted. The final cohort of students will be selected from those applicants that are invited to interview. If you have any further questions or are in need of the Nomination SurveyMonkey Form link, please email laporte@uthscsa.edu or Adriana Avendano at avendanoa@uthscsa.edudirectly.

Voelcker Biomedical Research Academy Informational Sessions.  These sessions are for classes where freshmen are attendees, given that Voelcker Academy is back to the a 3-year format, requiring that new applicants be freshmen. Specific information about the next cohort of Voelcker applicant will be sent in a forthcoming email in October.  The sessions will discuss what the Academy is about, competitive application and answer questions regarding the application process. The Academy offers 30-45 minute program informational sessions to schools that do not have a current Voelcker Scholars. If you would like to schedule one of these sessions, please email our Program Coordinator at laporte@uthscsa.edu or Adriana Avendano at avendanoa@uthscsa.edu directly.

Key Application Dates

Recommended Candidate Selection Criteria

Please consider the following when selecting your school’s candidates

• Age requirement: 15 years old by June 15, 2024
• Classification: Freshman in the 2023-2024 school year
• Academic performance: 90% or higher in math, science and English or a grade of 85% or better if the applicant is enrolled in an honors or pre-AP course
• Potential for three year commitment to program: This is a 3 year program, running for 7 weeks in the summer (Monday-Friday), with an average 5-8 hour/day. Voelcker Scholars are also invited to activities scheduled during the academic school year and are expected to make every effort to attend. As the conclusion of the entire program, students present their work at an award reception. Each summer, participants receive a monetary scholar award.
• Parental permission for participation in the Academy is required, as is parental involvement and attendance at orientation and reception events
• Ability to provide the following:
  • Student Essay
  • Current Official Transcript to be uploaded to the application platform by applicant
  • 2 Letters of Recommendation with at least one being from a science teacher

Please share this information with others at your school who might be able to also participate in this process. Thank-you for your assistance in identifying the best candidates for consideration of admission into the Voelcker Biomedical Research Academy Class of Summer 2024!