Eugenio Maria de Hostos Community College of the City University of New York (CUNY) proposes the establishment of El Puente: Bridges to Biomedical Research Careers, a Bridges to the Baccalaureate program, in collaboration with Lehman College of CUNY, The College of CUNY, and Rutgers-Newark, The State University of New Jersey. Hostos Community College, located in New York City's South Bronx, is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HIS): 79.5 percent of its population is Hispanic; 16.7 percent African-American; 2.2 percent white; 1.5 percent Asian; and 0.1 percent Native-Indian. For 25 years, Hostos has served New York minorities by providing unique opportunities to obtain associate degrees towards biomedical science careers in a supportive and caring environment that promotes bilingualism and multiculturalism. The main purpose of this program is to offer Hostos Students opportunities to: (1) engage in important hands-on summer laboratory research as interns; (2) participate in biomedical research mini-courses, specifically designed for this program; (3) attend regularly scheduled seminars; (4) attend special lectures by faculty at the participating four-year institutions; (5) participate in transfer opportunities; and (6) engage in other relevant research and academic activities with appropriate faculty at partner senior colleges. These activities will Hostos Students to the many different aspects of pursuing careers in the biomedical sciences. Their participation in this program will facilitate their transfer to science baccalaureate programs at the participating senior colleges. At the same time, the senior colleges will be able to expand their student transfer base while they help prepare a new generation of minority biomedical science professionals. Faculty at both the senior colleges and Hostos will improve their ability to share important career-building opportunities in research areas of common interest. The involvement of Hostos students in program will increase the number of minority students who will continue on to further professional studies and/or careers in the biomedical sciences.
