SUNY AGEP is a coalition of the four major doctoral granting institutions within the State University of New York (SUNY) system; Stony Brook University (lead), University at Albany, Binghamton University, and the University at Buffalo; SUNY Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (SUNY LSAMP) and Brookhaven National Laboratory. This coalition works in collaboration with federal, state, and local government agencies, funded programs, professional and community based organizations, and a series of feeder schools. SUNY AGEP plans to build a community of science scholars that will build on the highly successful and well-documented approaches for recruitment and retention. The goals of SUNY AGEP in Phase II are to substantially increase the number of underrepresented minority students getting doctoral degrees and entering the professoriate in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines and to make the institutional change necessary to develop a truly inclusive professoriate. Building on the lessons learned and changes made in Phase I, SUNY AGEP plans to engage faculty and STEM departments in a series of activities that will increase recruitment, improve retention, address barriers in the academic and social climate of graduate education, increase interest in and entrance to the professoriate, and increase UREP STEM scholarship and program operation through the growth of the National Center for Inclusive Education housed at Stony Brook. In order to produce change in the order of magnitude necessary to meet degree production, and enrollment targets, SUNY AGEP continues to design and implement a comprehensive network of services that impact students, faculty, departments and institutions. Services include: sharing information related to best practices, financial support for research and professional development; a series of community building activities, activities that provide academic and social support; opportunities for students and faculty to attend professional conferences to present of their research; the SUNY AGEP Summer Research Institute and Summer Bridge Pro to recruit and prepare talented undergraduates for graduate study and a range of statewide activities for students and faculty. To facilitate these goals, SUNY AGEP continues to develop and implement: 1)a comprehensive, timely and accurate data collection and tracking system, 2) a comprehensive communication system throughout the Alliance, 3) a program-wide evaluation that uses both formative and summative measures to gauge program success and examine the program in the context of larger policy issues, 4) strong articulation in order to increase the pool of students who move successfully from undergraduate to graduate institutions, and 5) a strong support system within each institution to make SUNY AGEP goals become a permanent part of the SUNY infrastructure.
Intellectual Merit SUNY AGEP is looking closely at curricular and pedagogical issues and their effects on student success and choice of careers. In addition, through the National Center for Inclusive Education (CIE), SUNY AGEP will look to increase the scholarship about UREP STEM programs and their effectiveness.
Broader Impact Through the assessment of activities and the work of the National CIE, SUNY AGEP plans to add substantially to the knowledge base about UREP STEM issues and programs. This in turn will help to not only transform the institutions in the Alliance but also improve the overall climate for UREP students nationally.
Around the world, there is a growing awareness of the critical importance of scientific and technological advancements in enhancing both economic growth and quality of life. Nations, at every level, are engaged in unprecedented and vigorous actions to develop and attract talent in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). At no time in recent history has it become clearer that "human resource development" in STEM must be a priority. In our own nation, numerous agencies including the National Science Board, the National Academies, and roundtables of leaders in business and industry, have issued strong warnings regarding the dire consequences that would result from an inadequate U.S. response to evolving needs for a larger and better prepared technological workforce. The message is clear. Although our nation must continue to attract the best STEM talent from all over the globe, we must do a better job of "growing our own". Our colleges and universities have a responsibility in this national priority and nowhere is this dynamism better illustrated than in our NSF-supported State University of New York (SUNY) Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) Program. The goal of SUNY AGEP is to increase enrollment and degree production of underrepresented minority (URM) students (African American, Hispanic, American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander) earning PhDs in STEM disciplines and support their successful transition into the Professoriate or other research/teaching careers. The SUNY AGEP Program is an alliance between the four doctoral granting institutions within SUNY: Stony Brook University (lead), University at Albany, University at Buffalo and Binghamton University. For 12 years, SUNY AGEP has been one of the major forces in New York State and in our nation for broadening participation in graduate education in STEM. Much of that progress has come as the result of the building of sub-communities of the larger University community that help targeted populations to address special needs and interests while at the same time connect to the vast human and material resources of a world-class research university. The notion of a community that empowers, rather than a community that isolates and marginalizes, is a recurring theme in our efforts. Through a myriad of activities that have engaged students, faculty, and staff, SUNY AGEP has enhanced access and success for URM groups in STEM. First, strong communities have been developed to support students’ academic, social and personal dimensions to increase the likelihood that students will excel and obtain graduate degrees. These communities include comprehensive services and peer support through the Graduate Community of Scholars and the Center for Inclusive Education, which foster tight linkages to department based support. During the project period (2005-2012), enrollment has increased by 44% and degree production by an impressive 200%. These figures represent an average increase of 37 percentage points higher than overall enrollment and degree production. Second, SUNY AGEP has helped to foster a reflective practice of graduate education. The training of AGEP researchers on cutting edge topics such as: viral assembly in HIV, high energy physics and fluorocarbons in the environment is not only the responsibility of the faculty mentors but the entire university community. Our Ph.D. completion rate is has increased from 52% to 66%, and is now an incredible 10 percentage points higher than the national completion rate (CGS). Third, SUNY AGEP, in conjunction with faculty, is working to enhance postdoctoral opportunities to build bridges to the Professoriate. In fact, of the 151 SUNY AGEP graduates, 30% are in faculty positions, 20% are in postdoctoral positions, and 21% are in scientific research positions in industry. The Preparing for the Professoriate and Gathering of Science Scholars conferences have been critical in raising the visibility of our excellent AGEP students and preparing them for future careers. Fourth, SUNY AGEP is a valuable partner in the development of innovative models to support the recruitment, retention and career success of not just URM graduate students, but all graduate students. Through this project, our institutions are now recruiting URM students from 16 new states, including HBCU and MSI institutions. These effective partnerships have allowed for new strategies to be implemented alongside policy reform. Formal program evaluations have been instrumental in informing our practices. Graduate education in STEM remains one of America’s greater strengths. Our nation draws tremendous graduate talent from all over the world, and develops that talent into world-class scholars and leaders. SUNY AGEP and indeed the national AGEP program are major contributors towards this effort. The energizing engagement of the AGEP community has had a transformative impact at the institutions, in the lives of AGEP students and that of the students they will mentor in the future. For these reasons, SUNY AGEP places the highest priority in continuing its efforts as an AGEP partner. For more information and to download our full report, visit our Website at: www.stonybrook.edu/agep.
