Sacramento College Coalition for Future Scientists

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This project is a renewal of a "Bridges to the Baccalaureate" project, which unites California State University, Sacramento (CSUS) and three campuses of the Los Rios Community College District (Los Rios) in an inter-institutional partnership, named "The Sacramento College Coalition for Future Scientists". The overall goal of the project is to increase the number of well-prepared students from underrepresented groups who transfer from Los Rios to CSUS or other four-year institutions to pursue majors leading to careers in biomedical research. In California, most students begin their college education at a California Community College. This is particularly the case for African American and Chicano/Latino students who are gravely underrepresented in the pool of high school students who are eligible for admission to a California State University (CSU) or University of California (UC) campus. Underrepresentation of these groups is compounded by transfer rates that are substantially lower than rates for students from other groups. Therefore, efforts to improve transfer of Los Rios students from underrepresented groups support the NIGMS Bridges to the Future Program's goal of making "available the intellectual talents of an increasing number of underrepresented minority group members to the biomedical research enterprise and to the nation." The project aims to achieve the overall goal by (1) fostering an early participant connection with CSUS through orientations and interactions with CSUS students, faculty and staff, (2) improving student completion of major appropriate transfer curricula through academic advising by visiting CSUS faculty, (3) improving overall G.P.A. and math/science grades through structured study groups and individual academic assistance, (4) expanding the cadre of faculty engaged in providing mentoring and research experiences by providing a research trainee experience for Los Rios faculty, and (5) enhancing student interest in science research through participation in summer research programs and conferences.