UW-Milwaukee Promoting Equity, Diversity, and Academic Success Through Aging Research Program (UWM STAR)

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PROJECT SUMMARY The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Promoting Equity, Diversity, and Academic Success through Aging Research (UWM STAR) program is a training program aimed at increasing the participation of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) students in research focused on reducing health disparities in older adults. UWM is the ideal location for this program because it has the most diverse student body in the University of Wisconsin System and is situated in the state’s most racially and ethnically diverse city. As the population ages, the need for workers in health-related fields who are sensitive to the needs of underrepresented and disadvantaged communities will also grow. UWM’s STAR program seeks to help fill that gap by preparing students from underrepresented backgrounds for graduate training and careers in aging and public health. The UWM STAR program is a multi-year, cohort-based program that matches students from underrepresented backgrounds with mentors to conduct research in aging and health disparities. It is based on successful programs developed by UWM’s Office of Undergraduate Research over the last 20 years. The STAR program provides financial support to conduct research on aging and health disparities during the academic year and in the summer. These mentored multi-year research experiences serve as the cornerstone of the program, and research mentors have been selected for the program based on both the excellence of their research program and their dedication to training undergraduates. The experience gained in the lab will be reinforced through seminars and curricular opportunities, including a dedicated First-Year STAR Seminar to introduce students to research, STAR Aging Colloquia to expose students to the work of distinguished aging researchers, STAR Launch trips to potential graduate training campuses, and the STAR Senior Seminar to help students plan their post-graduation lives. To keep students on a timely track for graduation, the STAR program will provide supplemental academic advising. The STAR program is also designed to provide students with the social support and peer mentoring they need to succeed. Regular social gatherings provide space for students in the program to bond with one another and with program mentors and administrators. The relationships within the program form a support network to help students overcome challenges and to champion each other’s successes, increasing persistence in the program. By combining structured research experiences, tailored learning opportunities, and social engagement, UWM’s STAR program aims to increase participation, retention, and graduation of underrepresented college students at UWM. Achieving these aims would be a first step toward the long-term goal of diversifying the pool of researchers and public health workers who contribute to reducing health disparities for older adults.