The project is designed to achieve four goals: 1) to directly and immediately assist students at local community colleges to advance toward and make a successful transition to programs in the biomedical sciences at a four-year institution (preferably Morgan State University); 2) to expand the expertise of local community college faculty members by enhancing their knowledge and skills; 3) to affect the curricula and instructional resources of local community colleges so that future students at these institutions are better prepared for advanced biomedical research experiences at the four-year institution and beyond; 4) to insure that faculty and administration of the participating institutions incorporate the results of the Bridge Programs into their ongoing efforts to develop extensive articulations and joint programs. This grant application builds upon current transfer programs between the local community colleges and MSU, and develops a plan to expand these programs into a BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON AREA BRIDGE PROGRAM (BWABP). There are three major components to the program; student training, faculty development, and insuring successful transition. The proposed project will develop a plan to expand the programs for four Baltimore-Washington area colleges: Community college of Baltimore (CCB), Dundalk Community College (DCC), and Prince George's Community College (PGCC). Morgan State University ranks first in the country among public institutions when measuring the number of African American baccalaureate degree recipients who earn the terminal degree. The strengthening of ties with the community colleges will not only expand the number of students that can move forward to graduate programs; but the procedures described will improve the retention of the community college students in the four-year undergraduate program.
