"January Undergraduate Move Ahead Program" (JUMP) uses winter break as an opportunity to prepare small groups of scholarship students with high financial need for the second semester of their first-year biology curriculum and a career in life science. A winter intersession program has challenges, but more importantly, benefits that distinguish it from summer bridge programs. We designed JUMP to help students build their skills to succeed in lecture and laboratory courses and strengthen their bond to the major and science careers. Thus far, 26 students have participated in JUMP: 73% were female, 54% were students of color (SOC), 62% were Pell grant recipients, and 42% were first-generation college students. Our analyses indicate that the program contributes to advancement to graduation. Scholars graduated at a statistically significantly higher rate in the life sciences than other students in the same cohorts (p= 0.007). Pell grant recipients graduated in the life sciences at a significantly higher rate than other Pell grant recipients (p= 0.009) The majority of the participants reported that JUMP made them more comfortable in the biology department and confident in themselves as scientists. JUMP is adaptable to other institutions seeking opportunities to mitigate conditions that put student success at risk.