# Jim Holland Summer Enrichment Program in Biology The Jim Holland Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) is a residential summer science week at Indiana University Bloomington, named for James P. Holland, the first African American to earn a doctorate from IU's biology department. Run by IU's Department of Biology, SEP introduces high school students from varied backgrounds to genetics, evolution, environmental biology, molecular biology, and plant sciences. ## What You'll Do - Attend lectures and discussions led by IU faculty and Indiana high school science teachers - Perform hands-on laboratory work in university science facilities - Live in an IU residence hall on the Bloomington campus for the week (July 19-24 in 2026) - Explore what studying science at a major research university actually looks like ## Who Should Apply Students in grades 8-10 (entering grades 9-11 in the fall) with a cumulative unweighted GPA of at least 3.0 who are taking science and math courses. The only cost for accepted students is a $125 non-refundable registration fee. Applications are submitted in winter, with acceptances announced in late April. ## Outcomes SEP is the entry point to the three-tier Jim Holland Summer Science Programs: returning students can advance to the Summer Science Research Program (SSRP) and then the two-week Research Initiative in STEM Education (RISE), building a multi-year research pathway at IU.