This undergraduate MBRS RISE program is designed to increase the pool of academically qualified and highly motivated underrepresented minority students to participate in hands-on biomedical research internships. For each year of the funding cycle fifteen (15) students will enter the program in the summer of their pre-freshman year and will be exposed to a series of developmental activities through the completion of their sophomore year. Student developmental activities will take place primarily within the three (3) components of (1) Pre-freshman academic enrichment seminar which is designed to provide enrichment in math and science and study skills; (2) Academic year Faculty Mentor/Student Advocate Program which aims to provide peer tutoring; (3) Pre-sophomore research seminar which is designed to acquaint students with the nature of biomedical research through course work and hands-on research laboratory apprenticeships. These activities will take place on the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) campus. It is expected that students upon completion of the program will be academically prepared and highly motivated to compete for research internship both on campus and at extramural sites. It is expected that at least 20% of the students who complete the program will participate in at least one research internship by the end of their senior year in college. It is anticipated that these students will go on to graduate school and choose biomedical research careers. This then will aid the MBRS RISE Program in achieving its long range goal of increasing the number of underrepresented minorities in biomedical research professions.
