Welcome to Catalyst: The First-Year Biology Launchpad 2026!
Ignite Your Potential. Build Your Community. Power Your Success.
By participating in the Biology Catalyst program, you are setting yourself up for success your first year in Biology.
- Access to resources and support when you need them.
- Review at your own pace starting this summer to find what fits you.
- Explore research, study abroad, student organizations, pre-health, and more.
- Connect with Biology majors and current students to get advice on
- dorms
- schedules
- professors
- study spots
- and more
- Gain professional competencies such as
- communication
- teamwork
- self-awareness
- critical thinking
Biology Catalyst Scholar Digital Credentials
You will also be eligible to earn a Biology Catalyst Scholar Digital Certificate to share on social media platforms that showcases the core competencies you've gained that align with health program admissions and what employers are looking for in interns and full time employees.
Biology Catalyst Scholars have completed 16 modules that develop and refine self-awareness, resilience, adaptability, priority management, organization, communication, critical thinking, problem solving, goal setting, and decision making.
Each module includes insights from current students as well as strategies and resources from across campus. Scholars reflect on which of these approaches will work for them. Throughout the year they continue to reflect so they can refine their approach, shift their priorities, and apply new strategies as new challenges arise. They use their “why” to make informed decisions about how to use their time and decide what to prioritize.
Scholars will have addressed the following core competencies:
- Practices continuous personal and professional growth for improvement, including setting and communicating goals for learning and development
- Reflects on successes, challenges, and mistakes; pursues opportunities to improve knowledge and understanding
- Incorporates feedback to learn and grow
- Considers situations or ideas from alternative viewpoints
- Willing to revise one’s thinking when new information or insights emerge
- Prioritize and complete tasks to accomplish goals.
- Perseveres in challenging, stressful, or ambiguous environments or situations by adjusting behavior or approach in response to new information, changing conditions, or unexpected obstacles, and recognizes and seeks help and support when needed
- Recovers from and reflects on setbacks
- Balances personal well-being with responsibilities
- Gathers and analyzes information from a diverse set of sources and individuals to fully understand a problem.
- Proactively anticipates needs and prioritizes action steps.
- Quickly adapts to new or unfamiliar technologies.
To earn a certificate, participants must earn 80 points total, by selecting 16 modules to complete that match what they would like to prioritize for the year. Options include:
- Academic Success in Biology
- Adjusting to College
- Building your Schedule
- Keeping Track of it All
- Brainstorming your “Why”
- Getting Involved
- Finding a Balance
- Exploring Undergraduate Research
- Pre-Health & Biology
- Refining your Schedule
- Community Study Spaces
- Academic & Study Support
- Study Habits & Approaches
- Getting into Undergraduate Research
- Shadowing, Volunteering, & Clinical Hours
- Spring Course Planning
- Careers Beyond Healthcare
- Your Multi-Semester Plan
- Careers & Next Steps
- Planning your Pre-Health Trajectory
- Declaring your Major
- Finding your Why
Getting Started
- Go to canvas.illinois.edu or download the Canvas App
- Select “Catalyst: The First Year Biology Launchpad”
- Or use QR code or use the direct link: go.illinois.edu/Catalyst