Virginia Tech Post-baccalaureate Research and Education Program (VT-PREP)

描述(由申请人提供)：弗吉尼亚理工大学计划继续其成功的弗吉尼亚理工大学学士学位后研究和教育项目(VT-Prep)，招募和准备总共28名学者，以进入研究密集型大学高选择性的生物医学和行为科学博士项目。培训计划包括教育、体验和社会活动的结合，在一个非常支持的环境中确保每个学者在学术和社会方面的发展。预科计划将由一个由三人组成的团队领导，该团队由高度成就的科学家组成，他们在培训包括未被充分代表的少数民族(UR)在内的所有级别的学生方面具有经验。由计划主任、联合计划主任、咨询委员会主席和一名总顾问/监察员组成的管理委员会(MC)将指导学者完成VT-Prep的所有方面。我们将利用我们的经验，在上一个资助周期中，我们76%的学者进入竞争激烈的研究密集型大学的博士课程。参加VT-Prep的前学者被耶鲁大学、哥伦比亚大学、罗格斯大学、弗吉尼亚理工大学、大学等高度选择性的博士项目录取。芝加哥和西北大学。2003-2008年第一个资助周期的七名前学者现在已经获得博士学位，并在包括宾夕法尼亚大学、斯隆·凯特林大学和北卡罗来纳大学在内的顶尖大学从事博士后研究。两名前预科学者获得了F31研究生奖学金。这次更新的具体目标包括：1.招募和招收28名在生物医学和行为科学领域代表性较低的少数族裔学生，作为研究学者参加为期12个月的过渡计划。2.制定和实施活动和计划，丰富和激励学者在生物医学科学领域从事研究事业。3.增加弗吉尼亚大学生物医学、行为和生命科学及相关学科研究生的申请和录取人数，改善校园多样化环境。我们将使用我们成功的招聘策略，从那些被请来参加校园面试的学生中招聘28名预科学者。我们的招聘策略是在同一时间或在重叠的团队中引入申请者，这为申请者提供了一个立即开始建立联系的机会，并将他们的共同目标视为一个群体。申请者有机会与PD、MC成员、其他学者和潜在的导师见面，并作为一个团体参加社交活动。这建立了一种立竿见影的社区意识。PDS将帮助预科学者制定他们的个性化发展计划(IDP)。每一位VT预备学者将在VT成功的生物医学和行为科学教师的指导和监督下积极参与指导研究活动(75%的时间)，这些教师在建议、教学和研究方面享有国内和国际声誉。此外，这些学者还将参加研讨会、研究生课程、两周一次的预备论坛，以及关于其国内流离失所者的其他活动。每个奖学金获得者都将有一位同行导师。我们将继续与 研究生院和校园内的其他单位，如多元文化学术机会计划(MAOP)，将继续改善校园氛围，招收和留住UR学生。我们将为预科导师、博士后研究员和研究生举办一年一度的辅导少数族裔最佳实践讲习班，以改善校园氛围。我们将出版一份同行评议的手稿，分享VT-Prep的成功策略。我们预计VT Prep目标的实施将产生以下可量化和定性的结果：1)弗吉尼亚理工大学申请在VT攻读生物医学和行为科学研究生教育的申请者比例增加；2)VT Prep学者中75%至100%的VT Prep学者将在具有高度选择性的研究机构攻读生物医学和行为科学研究生课程；VT 3)提高对弗吉尼亚理工大学研究生项目和该大学为少数族裔发展的积极环境的认识。VT-Prep将继续成为中央行政部门、研究生院和几所大学的高度重视的机构合作伙伴。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Virginia Tech proposes to continue its successful Virginia Tech Post-baccalaureate Research and Education program (VT-PREP) for another four years by recruiting and preparing a total of 28 scholars for admission into highly selective biomedical and behavioral sciences doctoral programs at Research- intensive universities. The training plan includes a combination of educational, experiential, and social activities in a very supportive environment that ensures development of each scholar both academically and socially. The PREP program will be led by a three-member team of highly accomplished scientists with experience in training students at all levels including underrepresented (UR) minorities. The Management Committee (MC), which consists of the Program Directors (PD), co-PDs, the Advisory Committee Chair, and a General Advisor/Ombudsperson will guide the scholars through all aspects of VT- PREP. We will use our experience, which over the last funding cycle guided 76% of our scholars into Ph.D. programs at highly competitive, research intensive universities. Former scholars who participated in VT- PREP were accepted into highly selective doctoral programs including Yale, Columbia, Rutgers, Virginia Tech, Univ. of Chicago, and Northwestern. Seven former scholars from the first funding cycle of 2003-2008 have now earned their Ph.D.s and are engaged in postdoctoral research at top universities including Penn, Sloan Kettering, and UNC. Two former PREP scholars have been awarded F31 graduate fellowships. Specific aims for this renewal include: 1. Recruit and enroll 28 minority students underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences to participate in a 12-month transition program as research scholars. 2. Develop and implement activities and programs that will enrich and motivate scholars to pursue a research career in the biomedical sciences. 3. Increase the number of minority students applying for and being accepted into graduate studies in biomedical, behavioral, and life sciences, and related disciplines at VT and improve the campus climate for diversity. We will use our successful recruiting strategy to recruit 28 PREP scholars from those brought in for on- campus interviews. Our recruitment strategy of bringing in applicants at the same time or in overlapping groups provides the applicants a chance to immediately start bonding and recognize their shared goals as a cohort. Applicants get to meet with the PDs, MC members, other scholars, and potential mentors, and attend social events as a group. This establishes an immediate sense of community. The PDs will help PREP scholars develop their individualized development plans (IDP). Each VT PREP scholar will be actively engaged in mentored research activity (75% of their time) under the guidance and supervision of successful VT faculty in the biomedical and behavioral sciences with national and international reputations for advising, teaching, and research excellence. In addition, the scholars will participate in seminars, graduate courses, the biweekly PREP forum, and other activities on their IDP. Each scholar will have a peer mentor. We will continue to collaborate with the Graduate School and other units on campus; e.g., Multicultural Academic Opportunities Program (MAOP) will continue to improve the campus climate and the recruitment and retention of UR students. We will conduct annual Best Practices in Mentoring Underrepresented Minorities workshops for PREP mentors, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students to improve the campus climate. We will publish a peer-reviewed manuscript that shares the successful strategies of VT-PREP. We anticipate the following quantifiable and qualitative outcomes from implementation of the VT PREP objectives: 1) An increased proportion of applications from UR applicants to pursue graduate education in the biomedical and behavioral sciences at VT, 2) 75 to 100% of the VT PREP scholars will pursue graduate studies in biomedical and behavioral sciences at highly selective research institutions VT 3) An increased awareness of Virginia Tech graduate programs and the positive environment the university has developed for minorities. VT-PREP will continue to be a highly valued institutional partner with Central Administration, the Graduate School, and several colleges.