Scientific Discovery Program: An academic-year bridge program

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Scientific Discovery ProgramAn academic-year
bridge program

• Alison J. Draper
• Director, Science Center
• Trinity College

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The need

• Admissions rates students academic preparation
• Each year, students rated lowest by admissions
  would struggle in intro science courses
• Many of these students did not make use of
  resources
• Many of these students are students of color

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Limitations

• No money for summer program
• Not much faculty or staff interest
• Mellon grant for international travel

Opportunity
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The model

• An in-house Posse program

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Goals

• Improve use of resources by students
• Improve success of participants in science
  classes
• Retain more participants as science majors
• Send students on to medical/graduate school?!

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Program Design

• Fall semester
• First-year seminar together
• On asthma
• Includes a community service project
• First-year seminar mentor familiar with issues
• Other courses in clusters
• Meet frequently with advisor
• Spring semester
• Half-credit seminar
• Continue to meet frequently with advisor
• Summer
• International travel Peru (year 1), Trinidad
  Tobago (year 2)

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Results Use of SI
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Results GPA in first-semesterscience courses
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Results Major selection
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Results Future plans

• Of class 10
• One student will apply to medical school
• One student plans to attend PhD program in
  anthropology
• Of class 11
• One student is applying to dental school
• One student is applying to medical school
• Others?

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What was important?

• Group identity
• International travel
• A good, involved mentor

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Current challenges

• Lack of funding for international travel this
  year, were testing to see if we can make it work
  without international travel