Students are required to be enrolled full-time (12 units) and maintain a quarterly minimum 2.75 GPA. Students who do not meet the minimum GPA will be provided with additional support services to help improve their academic performance. Students will work closely with the Yardi EJ Executive Director to develop an updated academic plan. Students will have two quarters to raise their GPA to the required minimum. If a student is not able to engage in the support services or demonstrate progress toward improving their quarterly average GPA to 2.75, they will lose the scholarship funding.

Yardi EJ staff and peer mentors are committed to supporting each scholar’s academic, professional, and personal success. Regular meetings and ongoing communication help ensure scholars receive timely support and are able to fully benefit from program opportunities. Students are expected to maintain regular communication and participate in quarterly check-ins with Yardi EJ staff to support academic planning and goal setting. In their first year, students are also required to maintain regular contact with an assigned peer mentor throughout the academic year.

Students must file a FAFSA or California Dream Act Application by the priority deadline each academic year (March 2^nd). Students must also submit any required documentation requested by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships by the established deadline. Final eligibility for the Yardi EJ Program will be determined by the Pell Grant and Cal Grant income and asset ceilings each academic year.  

Throughout their four years at UCSB, students participate in key academic and hands-on learning opportunities designed to support their growth as environmental changemakers. Students begin by enrolling in the Yardi EJ First-Year Seminar course. In their second year, students are required to actively participate in a UCSB environmental organization. In the third year, students enroll in a year-long practicum, working in teams on community-based projects. During their final year, students enroll in the Senior Seminar on Changemaking for Just Sustainability. Students must also attend at least two Yardi EJ-specific events per quarter each year to remain in good standing with the program. 

Student feedback is essential to assessing the effectiveness of the program and identifying areas for growth. Students are expected to complete program-related surveys throughout their college career and agree to participate in follow-up surveys for up to five years after graduating from UCSB. 

I agree to adhere to the University’s Student Conduct Code when on campus and exhibit basic consideration to self and others when not on campus. I understand that Yardi EJ Scholars represent the program in all their endeavors and are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that reflects positively on the program and its community. I acknowledge that conducting myself in a positive light is one of the best ways I can give back to the program.

Maintaining regular communication and engagement with our generous supporters plays a crucial role in the continued success of the program. As part of my participation, I agree to provide periodic updates on my academic progress, campus involvement, and program experiences, and to engage with donors and alumni. To help assess the program’s impact, I agree to provide The Yardi Foundation with relevant information pertaining to my academic success (as outlined in the Yardi Scholarship Program Authorization Waiver form).

Yardi Scholars will be welcomed into the program through a fall quarter Discovery Seminar for first-year students. Centered on an environmental theme or set of themes (e.g., climate and wildfire, sustainable water resources in California, food system sustainability), the seminar will introduce students to the various disciplines that contribute to environmental solutions through issue-based learning. Students will explore how each discipline thinks about change and makes change (i.e.,what questions do the different disciplines ask and how do they approach the challenge?). Students will also explore where they fit into the field of environmental justice and which challenges resonate with them. The seminar will feature guest speakers from key disciplines in the life and physical sciences, engineering, social sciences, and humanities from the campus and community.

In Year 2 of the program, each Yardi Scholar will participate in an environmental organization to try their hand at change-making in a ‘real world’ setting that caters to students. The Scholars will learn soft skills such as working in a team and articulating a changemaking vision. This experience will introduce the scholars to how multidisciplinary environmental problem solving happens at UC Santa Barbara and in the wider Santa Barbara community. UC Santa Barbara hosts a vibrant ecosystem of student environmental organizations advocating on issues ranging from the sustainability of on-campus food services to plastic-free seas. The experience of working within an approved, matched campus environmental organization will give Yardi Scholars the opportunity to practice working with other students from a range of
different backgrounds towards a specific solution, and will widen their network of environmental contacts.

In Year 3, Yardi Scholars participate in a year-long team project practicum. This will continue to advance their training, moving from practicing environmental problem-solving skills in a campus environmental organization to taking ownership of a project, including the responsibility to deliver results. The cohort will divide into four teams of four to five students per team, and each team will be paired with a client sponsoring an environmental solution project. Projects from clients will be solicited in advance and matched to the interests of each student team. Each project team will be composed of students representing multiple disciplines.

Year 4 of the program is designed to offer Yardi Scholars the flexibility to pursue an environmental solution specialization of their choosing. By their senior year, students in the program will have developed specific topical interests, which they can pursue through either a research project or an internship experience.