In addition to the Foundational Classes, the Redwood SEED Scholars begin taking UC Davis courses during Winter Quarter of their first year. The first course that all scholars take is Nutrition 10, with Dr. Debbie Fetter and TA Melissa Teuber. This is an entry level course that most UC Davis students take. It develops an understanding of the importance of nutrition, shares detailed information about the building blocks of nutrition and supports the development of a healthy understanding about food for young adults.
It is repeatedly voted one of the best classes to take at UC Davis. We believe the universal design and collaborative effort of this course is an exceptional opportunity for the scholars as an introduction to their first UC Davis course.
In Spring Quarter, the Redwood SEED Scholar freshmen choose another UC Davis course in their area of interest. This is based on the student’s Person-Centered Plan that is developed in Fall Quarter with family and faculty and the student’s voice at the center.
Each quarter thereafter, the Redwood SEED Scholar chooses one or two courses in their area of concentration.
As of Fall of 2025, the Redwood SEED Scholars have taken a total of 109 individual UC Davis courses for credit in over 28 different academic departments.
Some of the courses the scholars have taken include:
- HMR1: Human Wrongs/Human Rights
- HDE 140: Laboratory in Early Childhood
- ART 12: Beginning Video
- ENT 10: Natural History of Insects
- AMS 1E: Nature and Culture in America
- ART 007: Beginning Painting
- AAS 10: African-American Culture & Society
- CHI 10: Intro to Chicana/o Studies
- AMS 30: Images of America and Americans
- NUT 10: Discoveries and Concepts in Nutrition
Academic mentors provide support and guidance to the Redwood SEED Scholars in their courses using an Academic Agreement that the professor, TA, scholar and mentor all use.
Senior year, the Redwood SEED Scholars complete a project in each core area of the program - Academics, Employment, Independent Living and Social Inclusion.
- The Academics Video reflecting on their favorite UC Davis courses, their favorite project or academic work and a message of thanks to specific people that helped them during their four years in college. The Academics Video is shared at graduation.
- The Employment What I Need To Succeed Slide Deck that highlights their work experience, the skills developed, the tasks accomplished, and the supports needed for the scholar to be successful at work.
- Independent Living Recipe Book that has at least ten recipes that the scholar can cook independently.
- The Social Inclusion Capstone Project. The scholars begin to consider their projects in their Junior year and look to understand a need or a problem within their community that should be addressed. Or they create something that is meaningful for them that they believe others will benefit from. They research, interview, plan and craft a capstone project to be presented prior to graduation.
Some 2025 Capstone Projects:
🔹A collection of poems written by the scholar entitled: Raw and Vulnerable Poems
🔹A memoir written by the scholar
🔹Specific training for the second year scholars to serve as mentors to the incoming freshmen at our Summer Camp and p.2
🔹A video tour of the safest route to the Mail Distribution Center
🔹 A sticker for the Redwood SEED Scholars Program
