Montana State University-Bozeman is proposing to implement"""""""" Bridging Tribal Colleges to MSTJ"""""""" (BRIDGES) in partnership with three tribal colleges: Little Big Horn College, Fort Peck Community College, and Fort Belknap College. The program's broad, long-term objective is to build a seamless educational experience between the three reservation-based colleges and the state's land-grant university and, in the process, increase the number of underrepresented Native American students successfully transferring and pursuing academic studies in the biomedical and other health-related sciences from the two-year tribal colleges to MSU. To accomplish this goal, the project will create supportive communities of learners between and among students at all three community-based campuses and the MSU faculty mentors with whom they will be matched. The BRIDGES project will meet the following specific aims: 1) conduct research seminars at the tribal colleges by MSU faculty and others in biomedical and behavioral sciences; 2) host spring workshops and campus visits to introduce tribal college students to the four-year campus; 3) provide funds to cover the cost of tuition and fees for MSU coursework to tribal college students during the summer months to improve students' academic competitiveness and confidence; 4) provide students with research experiences in biomedical and related laboratories at MSU; 5) provide on-line tutoring for student participants during the academic year while they are at the tribal college and through on-site tutoring during their summer experience at MSU; 6) develop mentoring relationships between the student participant and an MSU faculty member in a related discipline; 7) provide tribal college faculty with opportunities for professional development, including support for travel to biomedical and related professional conferences, research supplies, and/or opportunities for collaborative research with MSU faculty; and 8) provide on-campus support after students bridge from one campus to the other, continuing to motivate and guide these students through their completion of a B.S. degree. A comprehensive program evaluation, which includes both process and outcome evaluative strategies will be implemented.
