Chicago State-Northwestern MS-PhD Bridge to the Future

描述（由申请人提供）：西北大学（NU）和芝加哥州立大学寻求新的资助，以继续芝加哥州立大学（CSU）的生命科学硕士学位桥梁项目（BP），该项目确定并录取来自芝加哥地区的高素质少数族裔学生，这些学生有能力、有抱负和勤奋攻读博士学位，但之前的学术资格不足以使他们在高质量的博士课程中具有竞争力。BP坐落在科罗拉多州立大学，该校是美国少数族裔学生人数最多的大学之一，在该地区因其有利于弱势学生的教育项目而闻名。该项目目前已进入第三个年头，旨在为BP学生提供学术技能、实验室培训和熟悉博士项目环境的机会，帮助他们为西北大学或类似机构的博士项目做好准备。该项目是科罗拉多州立大学现有生物学硕士项目的扩展版本，具有以下增强功能：在生物化学和分子生物学方面的额外要求，在西北师范大学攻读博士学位所需的技能和学术背景的特殊课程，在西北师范大学攻读博士课程的核心课程并参加一个季度的实验室轮转，准备一篇发表并在全国会议上发表的研究论文，认真指导BP学生并监督他们的进展，准备GRE考试，并分享科罗拉多州立大学现有少数族裔项目的几个组成部分。BP已经进行了整整两年的招聘工作（第一年的招聘工作因资金延迟而受阻），这表明芝加哥大都会地区有许多才华横溢、未被充分代表的少数族裔学生有资格参加该项目。学生的素质每年都有显著的提高，现在的学生表现出扎实的基础，为研究生的培养做了出色的准备。科罗拉多州立大学和纽大教师之间的良好合作已经发展，科罗拉多州立大学对博士研究的日益关注对学生对研究职业的看法产生了非常积极的影响。BP将继续受益于经验丰富、成就卓著的外部顾问和评估人员的定期检查和评估。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Northwestern University (NU) and Chicago State University seek renewed funding to continue a Masters degree bridge program (BP) at Chicago State University (CSU) in the life sciences that identifies and admits highly able under-represented minority students from the Chicago area who have the ability, aspiration and industry for the doctoral degree but whose prior academic qualifications do not otherwise make them competitive for quality PhD programs. The BP is ideally sited at CSU, which has one of the largest minority student populations in the country and is already well-known in the area for its educational programs that benefit disadvantaged students. The program, currently beginning its third year, provides the academic skills, laboratory training, and familiarity with the PhD program environment to prepare BP students for doctoral programs at Northwestern University (NU) or similar institutions. The program is an expanded version of the existing MS programs in biology at CSU with the following enhancements: additional requirements in biochemistry and molecular biology, special courses that focus on the skills and academic background needed for success in doctoral programs at NU, enrollment in PhD program core courses and participation in laboratory rotations during a quarter in residence at NU, preparation of a research thesis for publication and presentation at a national meeting, careful mentoring of the BP students and monitoring of their progress, GRE preparation, and sharing of several components of existing minority programs at CSU. Having now progressed through two full years of recruiting (delayed funding handicapped the first year recruiting) the BP has demonstrated that there are many highly talented under-represented minority students in the Chicago metropolitan area who qualify for the program. Student quality has markedly increased each year and current students are demonstrating solid to outstanding preparation for graduate training at NU. Excellent cooperation between CSU and NU faculty has evolved, and the increased attention at CSU to doctoral research has had a very positive effect on student perception of research careers. The BP will continue to benefit from periodic examination and assessment by experienced and highly accomplished external advisors and evaluators.