The 2025 SOAR Weekend Intensive is open to enrolled undergraduate students from San Jose State University, Santa Clara University, Stanford University, UC Santa Cruz, and West Valley College.

The 3-day course will be held at Blue Oak Ranch Reserve, a field station located on the slopes of Mt. Hamilton in San Jose. Blue Oak Ranch Reserve is the aboriginal homeland of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe and Tamien Nation. Transportation, rustic accommodation, meals, and a small stipend are provided for all participants.

On the course, you will learn ecological field skills including bird netting, point counts, small mammal trapping, cover board surveys for reptiles and amphibians, and vegetation sampling; and receive support for your professional development while networking with other students and professionals from the SOAR network. A draft schedule for the weekend is below.

The weekend will include early mornings in the field, short hikes over moderate terrain, and the opportunity to observe and handle plants and animals. Poison oak and ticks are present at Blue Oak Ranch Reserve! Participants should be prepared to get dirty and challenge themselves to explore new landscapes and field techniques. (Necessary accommodations can be arranged.)