The Oklahoma State University Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (OKAMP) Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) Program is a collaborative effort between the National Science Foundation and Oklahoma higher education institutions to increase the quality and quantity of underrepresented minorities, particularly students from Native American communities, matriculating to completion of the doctoral degree in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields (STEM) fields. The program at Oklahoma State University (OSU)prepares students to meet the challenges of completing STEM doctoral programs of study and for academic careers in higher education. In addition, the program develops leadership skills necessary for success in the STEM workforce nationally and internationally.
Integrating research and education, the BD fellows will be nurtured over two years as a cohorted community that will benefit from a program of academic and personal development activities as well as social support to sustain their commitment and success to the terminal Ph.D. STEM degree. Program activities include linkages to the Oklahoma Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (OK-EPSCoR), the NIH Native Americans in Biological Sciences (NABS) program, as well as other NSF-funded research and education projects, including programs that provide mentoring opportunities for undergraduate students.
A total of 12 students from underrepresented minority populations in STEM fields will participate in the program at Oklahoma State University during the 2009-2010 academic years. Results from this support will broaden the participation of Native Americans, Hispanics, African-Americans and Pacific-Islanders in the STEM pipeline for the U. S. workforce and abroad. Results from rigorous evaluation of the project will add to the body of literature in the recruitment and retention of underrepresented minority students in STEM fields.
