Galloway, N.J. — Determining how many rubber bands it takes to safely drop a stuffed Talon mascot from a second-story balcony.

Using light to measure chemical strength to determine if water is safe.

Figuring out exact percentages of the ingredients in ice cream — and then eating it afterward.

These are just some of the math and science experiments students in Stockton University’s Soar First Summer Scholars program took part in this week.

“The university likes to say on billboards that it’s the only one with a view like this. We like to say we’re the only program that does math like this,” said Alysia Goyer, an assistant professor of Mathematics and one of the coordinators of the program.

Soar First started last year as a free two-week summer bridge program to support select first-year students who were conditionally accepted into Stockton’s natural science, health science, exercise science and mathematics majors. The short-term goal is to prepare students to pass a placement test and take algebra in the fall, said Ariane Newman, associate provost for Academic Success. That would allow them to begin science classes in the spring and keep them on track to graduate in four years.

But by adding peer mentoring, workshops by the Wellness and Career centers and sessions focusing on study skills, Newman hopes this year’s program will have longer-term benefits for the students as well.

“We want to round out the student experience. If we do this right, at the end of four years, the students that come through this program will be just as positioned, or maybe even positioned better, to get into their first graduate school choice,” she said.

Several of the students will continue to receive support by being included in a Living Learning Community in September.

“That’s something we heard from the students last year that once the two weeks were over, they were clamoring for more and wanted to stay engaged,” Newman said.

In addition to adding more options for the students, the program has also more than doubled in size from 16 last year to 36 in 2026. Goyer said the program tries to focus on three areas — math, science and orientation to Stockton.

“With this program, the students get to know their professors two weeks early. They’ve seen where all the buildings are and they’re confident and secure starting that first week,” she said. “They know they belong. They know where things are, and they’re just ready to get started.”

Biology major Christian Murphy said he especially appreciated the peer mentoring from students who completed Soar First last year and the extra attention professors gave to developing math skills.

“The exercises have helped me ramp up my math skills,” said the Brick native. “The teachers here really want us to succeed. They pair us with different people so I can learn more about other students in the class. Going into the school year, I have more friends.”

Fellow Biology major Capree Hendrickson has also enjoyed the group work in the seminars, especially when she learned the ingredients of ice cream.

“It’s encouraged me to ask more questions rather than just sitting there and struggling,” said the Camden native. “It’s so much better than just sitting in a classroom staring at the wall or being taught lecture. You are actually learning. You’re talking to people. You’re talking to the teachers.”

Newman hopes the program will change the way students think about math and open them up to things they’ve never considered before.

“Our goal is to really make sure they don’t leave after one semester,” she said. “And if they are here, they’re not struggling. This is our investment in them, and we ask them to take these two weeks, invest in this program and invest in themselves.”

-- Story by Mark Melhorn, photos by Abbigail Erbacher