The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) proposes to renew its partnership with the EL Paso Community College (EPCC) for promoting the transition of minority students (primarily Mexican-American) with biomedical interests from the community college to the university. This will extend the current, highly successful, Biomedical Bridges to the Future Program between the two institutions by: (1) providing for active recruitment of minority students with biomedical interests among area high school senior and freshmen at the community college; (2) providing a research experience in which EPCC students work with EPCC and UTEP faculty in research labs during the summer at UTEP; (3) giving some Bridge alumni who have transferred to UTEP the opportunity to continue their research by being selected based on the writing a formal research proposal; (4) holding summer research colloquia where the students present their work and hear about other research taking place at UTEP; (5) providing the opportunity for students and their EPCC and UTEP mentors to attend scientific meetings to present the results of their research in more formal settings; (6) giving participants a one week orientation program dealing with academic, institutional, and administrative practices at UTEP; (7) making a comprehensive tutorial program for students while at EPCC and orienting students towards the various tutorial services of UTEP; and (8) maintaining personal contact with all participants after their transfer to UTEP, through graduation, and beyond. The program will use Bridge alumni to serve as recruiters, tutors, and mentors to their junior colleagues, thus amplifying the effects of the program. The net effect of these initiatives is intended to be a greater influx of underrepresented minorities (mainly Hispanics) into the biomedical career mainstream of the nation.
