Saint Regis Mohawk Research Scholars Program

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Abstract There is an under-representation of Native American professionals in cancer research and healthcare to address the cancer health disparities concentrated within the Native Nations. The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT) shares a mission with Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center (Roswell Park) to cultivate a cadre of Native American cancer professionals to address the disproportionate cancer burden suffered by the SRMT community. The lack of Native American science and health professionals is attributable to lower rates of college science degree completion, like other under- represented minority (URM) counterparts. Impediments to persistence by URM students include inadequate academic preparation and feelings of self-alienation in the collegiate academic science setting. The objective of the SRMT Cancer Scholars Program is to bridge high school and college student advancement and persistence into college science majors and graduate training in science respectively, by enhancing the research, scientific, cancer literacy and “scientist” self-identification of SRMT high school and college students. To achieve this objective, SRMT high school and college students will participate in experiential education experiences in research addressing cancer and public health disparities in their own community. Students, enrolled in regional SRMT high schools, will participate in an after-school club to engage them in activity-based learning focused on cancer biology and population science fundamentals. The after-school club will culminate in a three-week research experience at Roswell Park, where they will apply principle knowledge to conducting research projects under mentorship of Roswell Park faculty. College students will participate in 10-week research experiences, to deeply study a behavioral health, biological or epidemiological cancer problem in the SRMT community with a scientist at Roswell Park. To enrich their core research experiences, SRMT college and high school students will form near-peer scholarly communities and attend culturally- attuned lectures, professional development workshops and social activities coordinated by Roswell Park's Center for Indigenous Cancer Research. Students participating in the SRMT Cancer Scholars Program will impart knowledge about the importance of cancer research and benefits of participating in research experiences in preparation for college and graduate school to their communities through presentations made at community-engagement conferences at SRMT. The SRMT Cancer Scholars Program will be evaluated on its effectiveness to inspire SRMT students' pursuit of advanced science degrees; to prepare for academic success in college and graduate school; and to develop supportive community and family environments to encourage persistence in health science careers that will serve the SRMT community.