SF2UF: The Bridges to the Baccalaureate partnership between Santa Fe College and the University of Florida

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Project Summary/Abstract Santa Fe College (SF) and the University of Florida (UF) seek to continue the SF2UF program, a partnership designed to increase the number of underrepresented (UR) students who transfer from SF to UF, graduate with baccalaureate degrees, and continue to careers in biomedical and behavioral science-related disciplines. For the purposes of the SF2UF project, UR students are those who meet at least one of the following criteria:1) individuals from racial and ethnic groups that are underrepresented in health-related sciences (Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders), 2) individuals with disabilities, and 3) individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds (per NIH NOT- OD-20-031). The SF2UF program design is based on three foundational principles: 1) the first two years of college are the most critical for recruitment and retention of students in the sciences; 2) early and consistent participation in high-quality mentored research increases retention and academic performance, especially among UR students; and 3) addressing mental health and wellness with students should be an essential component of a training program for UR undergraduate transfer students. The program has five measurable specific aims as performance targets: 1) increase by 25% the number of freshman students at SF enrolled in the program-associated courses who are considering a career as a research scientist, 2) recruit 29 trainees into the SF2UF program over five years, 2) achieve 100% of the trainees successfully transferring to UF or another four-year institution, 3) retain at least 90% of the trainees for the full three-year training period, 4) graduate at least 90% of the trainees with a B.S. degree within four years of joining the program, and 5) achieve at least 75% of the trainees continuing to a post-baccalaureate degree programs — including at least 60% continuing to a Ph.D. degree program — within two years of earning the BS degree. The SF2UF program aims to achieve these targets with novel educational programs at SF, and an integrated research mentoring and career development experience at SF and UF designed to prepare the trainees for matriculation to a competitive Ph.D. program.