Bridges to the Baccalaureate

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This revised submission is for the competitive renewal of a Bridge to the Baccalaureate Degree Program. The University of Minnesota Duluth has a long established consortium with two community colleges: Lake Superior College and Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College. The consortium targets American Indian students to promote their success in undergraduate studies in biomedical related disciplines. This application combines scholastic assessment of trainees to identify areas for academic enrichment and participation in biomedical research. Developmental tools to be used for scholastic assessment of students include: computerized assessment of academic abilities; counseling by educational psychologists; and application of computerized learning to target specific scholastic weaknesses. Trainees enter into a two-year program with an academic year centered at the community college, and a full-time summer program at the University of Duluth. During the academic year, the trainees will participate in a research project for credit while working with the college coordinators at the community colleges. Additionally, the "Bridging Forum" will showcase faculty and outside speakers to the trainees for the purpose of learning about careers in biomedical research. In the summer program, trainees will participate in workshops and research with UMD faculty. Workshops offered are: 1) Laboratory Hygiene, 2) Responsible Conduct in Research, 3) Quantitative Methods, 4) Critical Thinking, 5) Introduction to College Learning, and 6) Computer Modeling. This five year program will accept a total of 40 students; eight per cohort, in the fall of each new academic year. The program anticipates 75% of the trainees will receive the Associate of Arts degree within the two-year training cycle; students beginning in year 5 will be in their freshman year and not receive an AA. Thus, 24 students will receive the AA degree by the end of year 5. A minimum of 70% of all trainees receiving an AA degree will enter into biomedical related majors at UMD with 23 students transferring to UMD, within the funding period of the program. A minimum of 75% of these transfer students, or 17 trainees, will receive a baccalaureate degree and be prepared for entry into graduate school. This is a revised submission for a competitive renewal application for the Bridge to the Baccalaureate Degree Program. The University of Minnesota-Duluth will collaborate with two community colleges, to increase American Indian students' completion of baccalaureate degrees in biomedical science.