The continued goal of the program is to ensure ongoing progression of eight American Indian students into the biomedical sciences and ultimately completion of their bachelor's degree. The program involves a four-year institution (UMD) and three partner community colleges: Lake Superior College at Duluth, MN; Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College at Cloquet, MN; and Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Community College at Hayward, WI. UMD and the affiliated tribal-community colleges (Partner Schools) will focus on providing the students with opportunities: 1) to participate in mini-projects at the Partner Schools offered during the academic year; 2) to participate in a six week Summer Research Program at UMD; 3) to take special interest courses on Ethnobotany, American Indian Physiology, and Studies on the Environment and Toxicology; 4) to take additional science course work through the UM University College; 5) to participate in symposia called Gatherings to bring all Bridge personnel and students together for sharing ideas and experiences. The Bridge Program will rely on a mentoring system to nurture student interests and academic development consisting of Faculty Mentors from UMD, College Science Coordinators from the Partner Schools, and Peer Mentors from UMD American Indian students. The Bridge Program will also use a Scholastic committee to monitor student development and an Overview Committee to provide community contacts. The mentoring and proposed activities serve to encourage American Indian college students to achieve their Associate Degree at their local tribal community colleges with the needed preparation and motivation to advance into junior course work at UMD.
| Prunuske, Amy; Wilson, Janelle; Walls, Melissa et al. (2016) Efforts at Broadening Participation in the Sciences: An Examination of the Mentoring Experiences of Students from Underrepresented Groups. CBE Life Sci Educ 15: |
| Vick, Brianna M; Pollak, Adrianna; Welsh, Cynthia et al. (2012) Learning the scientific method using GloFish. Zebrafish 9:226-41 |
