Positions

High school juniors and seniors in participating Florida school districts who are interested in joining the SPARK Research Mentorship Program must apply through an application process. The process is extremely competitive, and the number of high school students selected depends on the availability of Mayo Clinic research faculty mentors.

Each year, accepted students come to Mayo Clinic's Florida campus to learn from both new and established scientists. This program is a full-time commitment during the summer. Students are expected to be in the labs for a minimum of 25 hours a week for the duration of the summer, with arranged time to complete projects when school resumes in the fall.

Admission requirements

Prerequisites

Applicants to SPARK must at the time of application opening:

• Be enrolled as a junior or senior at a school in Duval County or St. Johns County in Florida for the upcoming academic year.
• Have a minimum 3.5 unweighted grade-point average.
• Be serious about the time commitment required for SPARK mentorship.
• All students must be available the first two weeks of June to attend the mandatory orientation and training — no exceptions will be given.

How to apply

Application timeline

• Nov. 1: Online application window opens.
• Dec. 31: Last day for candidates to apply.
• Feb. 17: Interviews for selected candidates
• June 3: First day of SPARK begins with orientation. Orientation is mandatory and must be present the first two weeks.
• July 29: SPARK program presentations.
• Oct. 20: SPARK posters due
• Dec. 2: SPARK awards ceremony and poster session
• January-May: Scholars compete at regional, state and international science fairs.

Application instructions

Complete the following steps to apply:

1. Create an account to begin the online Application for Admission
   • Select – Office of Non-Clinical Education Programs
   • Select – Science Program for the Advancement of Research Knowledge (SPARK)
2. Once logged in, select — Create a New Application.
3. Select — Start a Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science Experience Application.
4. Complete each section of the application and submit. (Please use a personal email address in the application, not a school email address.)
5. After submission, select the:
   
   • View button next to your application
   • Supplemental Items and Documents tab
     • Upload your supplemental items listed in the "Additional required items"
     • Complete the Recommendation Request section.

Additional required items

• Personal Statement. Upload the following essay in the Supplemental Items section. In 500 words or less, choose one (1) of the following prompts and answer in essay form:
  • Tell us about an idea, experience, or concept that excites you or has sparked significant personal growth. Why does it captivate you, and how has it influenced your approach to learning?
  • Describe a time when you questioned or challenged a belief, idea, or the status quo. What led you to speak up or change your ming, and what were the outcomes?
  • Describe a time when you faced significant challenges, obstacles, or adversity.  How did you navigate the circumstances and what were the lessons learned?
• Unofficial or official high school transcripts. Upload your transcripts covering grades 9 and up in the Supplemental Items area.
• Science teacher letter of recommendation. Complete the Recommendation Request section of the online application, and your teacher will receive an email with a link to upload a letter.
• Program official abstract form. Upload in the Supplemental Items area. This is an exercise in scientific thinking and will not be the project completed during the mentorship.
• Resume/CV.

Admission into the program is contingent on, but is not limited to, completing the following onboarding documents:

• Drug test
• Student Vaccination Attestation and Authorization Form
• Student Tuberculosis (TB) Attestation and Authorization Form
• COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation or declination

Acceptance

Offers of acceptance will go out by email from late-February through mid-March. After the acceptance is complete, the remaining applicants will be notified by email.