Assessing the Columbia Bridge-to-PhD Program's First Decade

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Students from groups underrepresented in the sciences are more likely to take post-baccalaureate classes or pursue a Master's degree before applying to Ph.D. programs. The goal of the Columbia Bridge-to-PhD Program is to increase the number of underrepresented scholars entering STEM PhD programs and to give them the skills necessary for success in those programs. One such necessity is a network of mentors and colleagues. The program holds a half-day symposium every year with returning alumni sharing their experiences. This grant will support a "Super Symposium" to evaluate the lessons learned from the the ten-year history of the program. Funds will support travel costs of program alumni to attend the symposium.The PI has begun analyzing the impact of the program on students' graduate career trajectories. His data show that the program has a high success rate for students admitted to PhD programs, with 80% of the program's applicants being accepted. Preliminary data show that the Bridge Program's alumni are more likely to be admitted to higher-ranked, less diverse graduate programs.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.