Virginia Union University MARC U*STAR Program

描述（由申请人提供）：VUU MARC U* 星星计划的目标是增加准备充分的少数民族学生谁竞争成功进入研究生课程导致博士学位的数量。或医学博士/博士生物医学科学学位，并追求生物医学研究的职业生涯。 为此，计划为未来五年设定了以下可量化的目标：（1）提高参与部门的学生质量（数学、自然科学和心理学）;（2）相对于目前的水平，将参与部门中符合MARC条件的学生人数增加50%;（3）在今后5年内，每年增加3名MARC毕业生攻读博士学位。生物医学科学学位课程。 我们建议通过一个全面的学术和研究培训计划来实现这些目标，包括（1）积极招募高素质的学生参加该计划;（2）早期识别和沉浸感兴趣和致力于生物医学研究的学生;（3）导师和补充说明计划，以提高看门人课程的学术成就;（4）在附近研究密集型大学的学年校外研究经验，以及校外暑期研究实习;（5）关于研究生院生存技能和职业探索的讲习班;（6）出席ABRCMS和国家科学学会会议并发表演讲;（7）正式的GRE备考课程。 五年期奖学金每年共要求10名受训人员。 该方案的成功将从数量和质量两方面加以衡量。Quantitative是一个广泛的数据库，包含学习成绩、研究生产力、GRE成绩、研究生院申请、博士入学等信息。程序，和职业道路将收集和维护所有学生从接受到程序的时间到他们随后的职业生涯。 计划有效性的定性措施将通过向学员，教师和研究导师以及指导和咨询委员会进行详细的年度问卷调查，以及通过外部评估人员的定期访谈获得。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of the VUU MARC U*STAR program is to increase the number of well prepared minority students who compete successfully for admission into graduate programs leading to the Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. degrees in the biomedical sciences, and pursue careers in biomedical research. To accomplish this, the program has set the following quantifiable objectives for the next five years: (1) to raise the quality of students admitted into the participating departments (Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Psychology); (2) to increase by 50%, relative to the current level, the pool of MARC-eligible students in the participating departments; and (3) to increase by 3 each year, over the next five years, the number of MARC graduates enrolled in Ph.D. degree programs in the biomedical sciences. We propose to achieve these objectives through a comprehensive academic and research training program that includes (1) an aggressive recruitment of high caliber students to the program; (2) early identification and immersion of interested and committed students into biomedical research; (3) tutorial and Supplemental Instructions programs for enhanced academic achievement in gatekeeper courses; (4) academic year extramural research experiences at the nearby research-intensive universities, and extramural summer research intemships; (5) workshops on graduate school survival skills and career explorations; (6) attendance and presentations at both the ABRCMS and the national scientific society meetings; and (7) a formal course in GRE preparation. A total of 10 trainees are requested for each year of the five-year award. The success of the program will be measured both quantitatively and qualitatively. Quantitatively, an extensive database of information on academic performance, research productivity, GRE performance, graduate school applications, matriculation into Ph.D. programs, and career paths will be collected and maintained for all students from the time of acceptance into the program to their subsequent professional career. Qualitative measures of program effectiveness will be obtained by detailed annual questionnaires administered to the trainees, the faculty and research mentors, and the Steering and Advisory committees, as well as through periodic interviews by the external evaluator.