Bridges to the Baccalaureate Research Training Program at University of Colorado Boulder

项目摘要 这个桥梁生物科学研究培训计划代表了一个新的途径学士学位 从前线社区学院（FRCC）转来的学生的生物医学学位 威斯敏斯特，FRCC博尔德县）到科罗拉多博尔德大学（CU博尔德）。培训 使命是为代表性不足的少数民族（URM）学生铺平道路，以赚取他们的助理 从FRCC学位，转移到R1大学（CU博尔德），并完成学士学位， 生命科学学科的研究重点，为生物医学研究和专业做好准备。 包括丹佛和博尔德在内的科罗拉多前线山脉拥有蓬勃发展的生物医学和生物技术。 STEM就业的长期和急剧增长。然而，只有不到25%的科罗拉多学生 获得符合雇主目标的证书。科罗拉多是美国第七大西班牙裔/拉丁裔人口 在美国，前线社区正在迅速多样化。需要一个有准备的 STEM劳动力是紧迫的，科罗拉多有一个高成就的社区开发不足的人口 具有不同背景和巨大潜力的大学生为这一劳动力需求做出贡献。 由于地理位置接近，FRCC和CU Boulder是理想的合作伙伴;转移到CU Boulder的比率很高 来自全州的STEM专业; URM，第一代和佩尔合格FRCC的显著百分比 学生的成功率;以及FRCC学生取得副学士学位的高成功率。但有一个 URM/服务不足的FRCC学生转学到CU Boulder的比率相对较低。我们的机构已经建立了 强有力的伙伴关系，有利于学生的教育进步和职业发展。系统性 好处包括：1）衔接协议，为成功转移和及时 升读生物医学学士学位，2）保证所有人都能进入CU Boulder 通过科罗拉多社区学院系统（CCCS）获得副学士学位的第一次学生 桥梁学士学位课程。我们的目标是1）吸引和招募FRCC学生; 2）建立 学生归属感; 3）建立学生的技能，科学身份和自我效能感;以及4）扩展职业道路， 更高的劳动力技能和/或专业学校的准备。我们B2B项目的“人际桥梁” 包括教师导师、顾问和同侪/近同侪榜样。这个支持社区将参与 早期与FRCC学生，以确保适当的课程进展，并指导一个有益的研究重点， 从而培养、激励和培养受训者的信心，使他们在取得学士学位的过程中取得进步 ℃下CU博尔德最好的和最从事生命科学教师导师的研究是故意的 广泛的共鸣与不同的科学兴趣和B2B学员的目标。我们的首要目标是 培养科罗拉多学生从URM/服务不足的背景，在生物医学科学，使他们将 成为科学探索的推动者，这些探索带来了对所有社区都很重要的发现。

PROJECT SUMMARY This Bridges to the Biosciences Research Training Program represents a new pathway to a baccalaureate degree in the biomedical sciences for transfer students from Front Range Community College (FRCC Westminster, FRCC Boulder County) to the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder). The training mission is to smooth the pathway for underrepresented minority (URM) students to earn their associate degree from FRCC, transfer to an R1 University (CU Boulder) and complete a baccalaureate degree with a research emphasis in a life science discipline that prepares them for biomedical research and professions. The Colorado Front Range, including Denver and Boulder, has a burgeoning biomedical and biotechnology economy with prolonged and steep growth in STEM employment. Yet fewer than 25% of Colorado students earn credentials that meet employer objectives. Colorado is the seventh largest Hispanic/Latinx-populated state in the United States, and the Front Range communities are diversifying rapidly. The need for a prepared STEM workforce is pressing, and Colorado has an under-tapped population of high-achieving community college students with diverse backgrounds and great potential to contribute to this workforce demand. FRCC and CU Boulder are ideal partners due to geographic proximity; high rate of transfer to CU Boulder STEM majors from across the state; significant percentages of URM, first-generation, and Pell eligible FRCC students; and high success rate of FRCC students achieving their associate degree. However, there is a relatively low rate of URM/underserved FRCC students who transfer to CU Boulder. Our institutions have built strong partnerships for the benefit of student educational advancement and career progression. Systemic benefits include 1) articulation agreements that provide a clear framework for successful transfer and timely progression to biomedical science baccalaureate degrees, and 2) guaranteed admission to CU Boulder for all first-time students who earn an associate degree through the Colorado Community College System (CCCS) Bridge to Bachelor’s Degree Program. Our objectives are to 1) engage and recruit FRCC students; 2) build student belonging; 3) build students’ skills, science identity, and self-efficacy; and 4) expand career paths with greater workforce skills and/or preparation for professional schools. The “human bridges” of our B2B Program include faculty mentors, advisors, and peer/near-peer role models. This supportive community will engage early with FRCC students to ensure appropriate course progression and guide a rewarding research focus, thus nurturing, inspiring, and cultivating confidence in the trainees as they progress toward their baccalaureate degree. The research of CU Boulder’s best and most engaged life science faculty preceptors is intentionally broad to resonate with the diverse scientific interests and goals of the B2B trainees. Our overarching goal is to cultivate Colorado students from URM/underserved backgrounds in the biomedical sciences so that they will become drivers of scientific inquiries that lead to discoveries important to all communities.