This proposal is an application for the Bridges to Baccalaureate Degree Program (RFA: GM-99-010). The main goal of the proposed program to be implemented at Humacao University College- University of Puerto Rico (HUC-UPR) is to introduce Hispanic students, coming from three community colleges of the University of Puerto Rico system, to degrees and career opportunities in the biomedical sciences. This will be achieved by the following activities: (1) faculty from HUC-UPR will organize and offer a seminar/workshop/lecture series at the three community colleges which will introduce enrolled students to science research projects, techniques, and methodologies in progress at HUC-UPR; (2) twenty to thirty students from the three community colleges will be invited to an """"""""open house"""""""" at the HUC-UPR once during each academic year for a one-day orientation program that will introduce them to potential faculty research mentors, research facilities, available student services, actual classrooms, and academic advisors who will provide orientation on degrees and career alternatives in the disciplines; (3) twelve students (half of them women) from the target institutions will be selected, after their first-year of community college studies, to conduct full time research during an eight-week summer program with faculty research mentors at the HUC-UPR; (4) a total of two science instructors from the target institutions will be invited to participate in and conduct research at HUC-UPR during the eight-week summer program in order to enhance instructional capabilities at each community college; (5) all participants who transfer to B.S. programs at HUC-UPR will be incorporated into a support program that will guide them until the completion of their degrees, with systematic encouragement and advisement to go into graduate or professional schools. After the summer program, formative and summative asseement will be conducted in order to determine the success of the program.
