Project Summary/Abstract
The overall goal of the Bridges to Baccalaureate Research Training Program at University of Memphis is to
prepare a diverse group of highly trained biomedical scientists to enhance the diversity of individuals entering
the biomedical research workforce. This proposed project will be a partnership program between the largest
community college and four-year institution serving southwest Tennessee, namely Southwest Tennessee
Community College (STCC) and The University of Memphis (UofM). The short-term goal of this Bridges
program is to enhance the knowledge, skills, values, identity, and self-efficacy as research scientists of STCC
students from underrepresented groups in the biomedical sciences within a community of researchers. The
intermediate goal is to inspire matriculation and persistence in biomedical science-related undergraduate
programs at STCC, resulting in an increase in the number of students that transfer from STCC to UofM and
complete the baccalaureate degree in the biomedical sciences. The specific aims of this Bridges proposal are
to (1) admit at least 4 students per year from underrepresented groups in biomedical sciences-related degree
programs at STCC into the Bridges program, (2) retain at least 80% of Bridges students for successful
matriculation to UofM on a 3-year rolling basis, and (3) assist transferred Bridges students to persist to
bachelor’s degree completion each year. New training strategies as well as plans for expansion and/or
enhancement of existing training and educational programs at both STCC and UofM have been designed
within an inclusive and culturally responsive context to attain our goals. The training and educational programs
include curriculum enhancements for supplemental instruction at STCC, embedding Bridges trainees in a
STEM diversity peer mentoring program for undergraduate researchers at UofM, expanding continuous
research experiences at UofM, and expanding faculty research mentorship training at UofM. The expected
outcomes of this planned training program are to significantly the 5-year average number of STCC students
matriculating to UofM and who complete the baccalaureate degree in a STEM discipline, as well as increasing
the number of STEM graduates in underrepresented groups who successfully matriculate into doctoral degree
programs in STEM disciplines and/or enter the biomedical research workforce.