DEVELOP, the Delaware/Vermont Linkage to Open the Pipeline, formalizes the partnership between two institutions: Delaware State University (DSU), a historically black, land-grant institution, which offers the M.S. in Biology, Chemistry and Physics but no doctoral programs and the University of Vermont (UVM) which offers the Ph.D. in ten different biomedically-related programs. DEVELOP funds will be used to augment opportunities for masters students at DSU by providing local resources necessary for full-time, high quality, graduate education and by taking advantage of the well-established research infrastructure at UVM. Following one and one-half years of experience with this program, further refinement has taken place in the following ways: (1) There is now a formalized and signed Partnership Agreement in place which clearly articulates the academic arrangement between the two schools highlighted by the smooth transition to acceptance by the UVM Graduate College and waiving of all fees, upon receipt of their M.S. degree from DSU; (2) There is now a formalized Transition Program in place whereby the DSU student is gradually introduced to UVM, first by attending two Research Days (one in September and one in March) where graduate students and faculty describe their research programs to the community, second by the students spending two weeks on campus at the end of their first year doing research, visiting with potential mentors and observing and third by spending six weeks on campus following receipt of their M.S. degrees; (3) Plans are now in place for assuring uninterrupted financial support once a student/mentor relationship is effected via mutual research interests and department or grant funding; (4) There is now an evaluation plan in place to ensure high-quality training for masters students at DSU, to influence students to consider further doctoral-level training, hopefully at UVM and to implement the partnership between the two institutions; and (5) The seminar program planned earlier is now in place.
