The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program assists universities and colleges in diversifying the STEM workforce through the development of highly competitive students from groups historically underrepresented in STEM disciplines: African-Americans, Alaska Natives, American Indians, Hispanic Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Native Pacific Islanders. The goal of the LSAMP Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) Activity is to increase the quantity and quality of STEM graduate students from underrepresented populations, with emphasis on Ph.D. matriculation and completion. BD projects implemented in the nation's institutions of higher education contribute to addressing one of the objectives in NSF's 2014-2018 Strategic Plan, namely to "integrate education and research to support development of a diverse STEM workforce with cutting-edge capabilities." For the U.S. to remain competitive globally, it must provide exceptional educational preparedness in STEM areas that underpin the knowledge-based economy.
Jackson State University is committed to increasing the diversity of a highly educated STEM workforce. Through this project, JSU will provide students with challenging research and academic experiences to develop academic and collaboration skills. In addition, the project will improve professional, personal, and networking skills through conference attendance, peer group meetings and discussions, research presentations, and exposure to new and challenging environments through national and international internships. The project will contribute to the national need of increasing the number of highly qualified STEM doctoral graduates who will serve as researchers and trainers of future STEM students particularly in the minority-serving institutions, while enhancing its capacity to provide such benefits to students.
The project utilizes a cohort approach for recruiting qualified students who intend to complete their master's program and then transition to a doctoral program at a research intensive institution. The transition of the participating students to doctoral programs is facilitated through well organized activities, such as strong project orientation, research mentorship, weekly participation in cohort meetings that focus on self-improvement through sharing with peers, exposure to role models through lecture series, and attending national and international research internships and conferences to facilitate the development of their professional networks.
