Thank you for your interest in the Wrigley Institute’s Catalina Residential College Maymester at the Wrigley Marine Science Center (WMSC). In this program, we run several exciting Maymester classes within a residential college model on Catalina Island.

The purpose of a residential college setup is to provide a unique living-learning community for students as they expand their understanding of the environment and sustainability. Students are given a place for self-discovery through diverse experiences, educational support networks, exchanges with peers from different backgrounds, and close relationships with mentors in an interdisciplinary academic environment.

Catalina Residential College Maymester courses offer a month-long immersive learning experience, bringing together students from across the academic domains (natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities) to learn from the faculty and each other. The program includes undergraduates, graduate TAs, and faculty members living and learning as one community.

Information Sessions

All information sessions have been completed. For information session recordings, please see below.

  • Note: You must be logged in to your USC account to access the recording. 

    If you would like to access a recording from a course-specific information session, please email Hannah Maryanski Kiszla (maryansk@usc.edu).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

This FAQ will answer many of your questions, and it provides contact information for faculty so you can get more specific information about the course that interests you.

  • A: We aim to offer 5 classes during Maymester. Note that some classes have prerequisites, which can be discussed with the faculty.

    BISC 431L: Aquatic Microbiology. Instructed by Dr. John Heidelberg (jheidelb@usc.edu) and Dr. Eric Webb (eawebb@usc.edu)

    BISC 457L: Methods in Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography. Instructed by Dr. Karla Heidelberg (kheidelb@usc.edu) and Dr. Noelle Held (nheld@usc.edu)

    ENST 483L: Coastal Zone Sustainability. Instructed by Dr. David Ginsburg (dginsbur@usc.edu)

    ENST 499: Waves of Change: Unearthing Coastal Environmental Histories. Instructed by Dr. Sean Fraga (sfraga@usc.edu)

    ENST 486: Social Science Research Methods for Environmental Analysis. Instructed by Dr. Monalisa Chatterjee (monalisc@usc.edu) and Dr. Brian Palmer-Rubin (brian.pr@usc.edu

  • A: Below is a high-level overview of the application process. Applicants and/or admitted students should refer to the more detailed instructions provided in the application and via email.

    To apply for a Catalina Residential College Maymester, you will need to submit a STARS report and a 500-word essay about why you are interested in the Maymester and how it will advance your career goals. You can apply for up to two classes in the Catalina Residential College but will only be admitted to one. 

    The course professors review the applications and make their decisions, and students are notified by the Catalina Residential College team about their application decision usually within 1-2 weeks of the application deadline.

    Students who accept their admission offer will then submit a commitment to participate form, receive D-clearance, and then register for the course.

    The Catalina Residential College team strongly encourages all interested students to apply by the priority application deadline, Monday, November 10th at 11:59 p.m. PT. This provides students the best chance at admission to their preferred course.

    If any courses still have space after the priority application deadline, students can apply on a rolling basis. Generally, the Catalina Residential College stops taking applications in early-to-mid January but reserves the right to close the application earlier, as warranted.

  • A: To foster a high-quality learning experience and to accommodate capacity limits on the island, each Maymester course is limited to 15-20 students. In years past, some courses have filled up quickly with waitlists. Faculty will have to be selective if interest exceeds available space, but some may be able to admit everyone who applies. We recommend applying early and contacting the faculty member for your desired course to express your interest.

  • A: All Maymester classes are part of the spring semester as far as units and tuition are concerned as long as you don’t go into credit overload (no more than 18 total units INCLUDING the Maymester). Classes run May 18 – June 12, 2026. Class sizes are small (15-20 students maximum) to provide ample interactions with faculty and individual academic attention.

    Generally, required class activities take place Monday-Friday on Catalina Island. However, some courses may have required activities on the weekend, so you are encouraged to contact the relevant faculty member for more information.

    Classes are generally a mix of classroom/lecture time, lab research, and field work. Most of the classes involve some kind of diving, boating, or hiking activities. Specific activities vary by course, so contact the faculty for more information about specific classes.

  • A: You can contact the faculty member for each course.

  • A: BISC 431 and BISC 457 have the following prerequisites: 1 from (BISC 103 or BISC 120 or BISC 121).

    Prerequisite waivers may be granted at the discretion of the faculty/department. Please discuss the implications of receiving a prerequisite waiver with your academic advisor before you apply for the Catalina Maymester.

  • A: The Catalina Maymester courses can count toward your major or minor, depending on your course of study. Many of the courses are already approved for majors in Biological Sciences, Environmental Studies, Environmental Science and Health, and more!

    If you don’t see your Catalina Maymester course in your major/minor course plan, you can request the syllabus from the Maymester faculty member and send it to your advisor/department with a request to have the course counted toward your major or minor. 

  • A: The Catalina Island Maymester is not a vacation. Classes are academically rigorous. Because they condense an entire semester’s worth of work into a single month, the pace can be challenging. One day of instruction is roughly equal to a week’s worth of instruction during a normal semester. In addition, these are upper-division courses, and some are designed specifically for majors in particular subjects. However, the small class size and close contact with faculty mean that students who want good grades usually earn them.

  • A: Yes, it is possible to complete this Maymester as a rising sophomore. All Maymester faculty spend the full month on the island and are highly accessible to and supportive of our students, so this is a good environment in which to challenge yourself. However, note that all classes in the program are upper-division classes, and some classes have prerequisites that must be completed before Maymester begins. Please contact the individual professors for details.

  • A: Tuition is covered under normal USC spring tuition as long as you don’t go into credit overload (no more than 18 total units INCLUDING the Maymester). There is an additional cost of $2,398 for room and board (21 meals/week) for the 4-week program.

    Some financial support is available through the Wrigley Institute. The priority deadline to apply for support is Monday, November 10th at 11:59 PM. The application will remain open past the priority deadline only if funds are still available, so students who need support are strongly encouraged to apply early.

    For eligible students, Wrigley Institute room and board support of up to $1,298 can be combined with SOAR funds of up to $1,000. All Wrigley Institute Maymester classes are eligible for SOAR, but students must meet additional eligibility requirements. See the SOAR website for more details.

    Please contact Hannah Maryanski Kiszla (maryansk@usc.edu) with questions.

    Note: Students who are admitted to Maymester and submit the commitment form will be subject to a withdrawal fee if they later choose to drop the program.

  • A: Students live in dormitories at the Wrigley Marine Science Center with 2 or 3 students to a room and 2 dorm rooms sharing each bathroom. The dining hall serves three meals each day, and the food is typically better than normal cafeteria food. Note that, due to WMSC’s remote location and limited staff and equipment, we are limited in the number and type of dietary restrictions we can accommodate.  Read the full WMSC Dietary Policy >>

  • A: While students are encouraged to stay on the island Monday-Friday, USC runs boats several times a week to and from WMSC, and we schedule classes and labs around the boat schedule. Students are welcome to return to L.A. over the weekends, as long as this does not conflict with their class schedule. However, most students choose to stay on the island and take advantage of recreational activities like snorkeling, hiking, kayaking, trips to Avalon, etc.

  • A: Baywatch paramedics are based in the town of Two Harbors, and they can reach the lab in just a few minutes. We also have a first-aid team on site at the Catalina Hyberbaric Chamber. For minor issues requiring a doctor’s attention, Catalina Island Medical Center is roughly 30 minutes away by boat in Avalon. Additionally, our campus has a helipad for medical evacuations to the mainland, which usually take about 30 minutes.

    We also recommend you add the USC Student Health Phone Line: 213-740-9355 to your phone. This number connects to services 24/7, even when the health center locations are closed. USC Student Health services include Advice Nurse, Mental Health Counseling Support, and Confidential Advocates for sexual assault survivor care.

    Note that there is no pharmacy nearby, so students should plan to pack a full month’s supply of all necessary medicines.

  • A: WMSC is a satellite campus of USC. As such, we mirror the main campus in terms of all health requirements and recommendations. We encourage all guests to follow best practices for maintaining a healthy environment, including being up-to-date on vaccinations and remaining away from others and/or wearing a mask if you are sick. A designated faculty member, TA, or WMSC staff member is always on call for after-hours needs during Maymester.  Because WMSC is a USC facility, the full USC Student Code of Conduct, including alcohol and drug policies, also applies and will be enforced.

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