EPCC's RISE to the Challenge Option 1

描述（由申请人提供）：随着学生人数超过39，000，埃尔帕索社区学院（EPCC）是最大的西班牙裔服务机构（HSI）位于美国-墨西哥边境，在美国增长最快的社区学院，并在全国副学士学位的西班牙裔学生的最大授予者。在2011学年，29，901名学生在EPCC的五个校区参加了RISE相关课程。这一学生群体（88%的代表性不足）已经对影响美墨边境地区的健康问题感兴趣，那里的健康差距是极端的。EPCC一直是让学生对生物医学研究感兴趣并进入博士学位的先驱。渠道. EPCC是2000年由MBRS-RISE计划资助的第一所社区学院。它一直表明，参加RISE活动的学生在保留，毕业和升入下一个教育水平方面优于非参与者。最终目标是将EPCC发展成为在指导少数民族和弱势学生进入博士学位管道方面排名第一的社区学院。EPCC应对挑战计划的目标是：1）继续为有才华的EPCC学生提供成功的工具，并在他们的新生和预科水平的数学和科学课程中脱颖而出，2）继续加强学生和教师的研究知识和技能，特别强调生物医学和行为研究，3）增加少数民族和弱势群体学生的数量，这些学生能够转入四年制大学，并具备在大学取得成功和完成博士学位要求所需的技能。目标是：1）以创新的教学策略加强和丰富生物，化学和数学课程，包括补充教学（SI）和同侪领导的团队学习（PLTL），使用调查，多学科的方法来提高学生的表现和发展学生的高等学习技能，2）继续为学生提供全年有意义的研究经验，并选择有才华的新生，3）保持学生参与和在全国专业会议上发表的优秀记录，4）增加RISE学生参与者的研究出版物数量，5）继续为学生提供密集的辅导和建议，以及6）加强生物医学科学学习社区和以前建立的支持网络。由于其庞大的少数民族招生，其对学生成功的关注，以及其研究基础设施，EPCC是在一个独特的地位，并致力于减少差距，在完成博士学位的学生人数喂养的代表性不足的学生在他们的教育的最早阶段的管道。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): With a student population exceeding 39,000, El Paso Community College (EPCC) is the largest Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) located on the US-Mexico border, the fastest growing community college in the U.S, and the largest grantor of Associate degrees to Hispanic students in the Nation. In the 2011 academic year, 29,901 students enrolled in RISE-relevant courses across EPCC's five campuses. This student population (88% underrepresented) is already interested in health issues that affect the US-Mexico border region where health disparities are extreme. EPCC has been a pioneer in getting students interested in biomedical research and in entering the Ph.D. pipeline. EPCC was the first community college to be funded by the MBRS-RISE Program in 2000. It has been consistently shown that students participating in RISE activities outperform non participants in retention, graduation and progression to the next educational level. The ultimate goal is to develop EPCC to become the Number-One community college in terms of guiding minority and disadvantaged students into the Ph.D pipeline. The goals of EPCC's RISE to the Challenge Program are: 1) to continue providing talented EPCC students with the tools to succeed and excel in their freshman and sophomore-level math and science courses, 2) to continue strengthening the research knowledge and skills of the students and faculty with special emphasis in biomedical and behavioral research, and 3) to increase the number of minority and disadvantaged students that transfer to a four-year institution with the skills necessary to succeed in college and to complete the requirements for a Ph.D. The objectives are: 1) to enhance and enrich the Biology, Chemistry and Math curriculum with innovative instructional strategies, including Supplemental Instruction (SI) and Peer-led team learning (PLTL) using an investigative, multidisciplinary approach to improve student performance and develop student's higher learning skills, 2) to continue providing year-round meaningful research experiences for sophomores and select talented freshman, 3) to maintain our excellent track record of students participating and presenting at national professional meetings, 4) to increase the number of research publications by RISE student participants, 5) to continue providing students with intensive tutoring and advising, and 6) to strengthen the biomedical science learning community and support networks established previously. Because of its large minority enrollment, its focus on student success, and its research infrastructure, EPCC is in a unique position and is committed to reducing the gap in the number of students that complete the PhD degrees by feeding the pipeline of underrepresented students at the earliest stages in their education.