Virginia State University(VSU) proposes to coordinate activities for the transition of minority students from the cluster of six Virginia two-year colleges into 4-year institutions. Through a combination of academic year and summer programs, this proposal will further increase the number of minority student participants from partner colleges. In addition, it will involve partner colleges's faculty in faculty development activities.
The specific aims of this proposal are: (1) To build on the existing relationship of Virginia State University(VSU) with a cluster of Virginia two-year colleges, composed of five community colleges (Southside Virginia Community College - Alberta campus- SVCCA, Southside Virginia Community College -Keysville campus -SVCCK, Danville Community College -DCC, Germanna Community College-GCC, and J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College -JSRCC), and one junior college (Richard Bland College-RBC) for transition of underrepresented minority students to baccalaureate degree programs in science and mathematics; (2) to provide academic advising during academic year to the BRIDGES students in coursework which will provide an overview of the requisites for transition into four-year; science institutions; (3) to provide seminars and workshops in the biomedical sciences on the VSU campus and at partner institutions to provide students with information on career options in the biomedical sciences; (4) to host an intensive summer program each project year on the VSU campus for prospective minority two-year college students which will include the offering of tuition-free courses for credit in the biomedical sciences (e.g. Human Anatomy/Human Physiology/Elementary Statistics) and developing biomedical skills through research experiences in funded research projects of VSU's faculty; (5) to coordinate faculty development activities for partner colleges faculty through faculty workshops and summer research opportunities at VSU, which in turn, will enhance the research environment and quality of advising at the partner colleges; and (6) to provide assistance in the establishment of tutorial services in the sciences at the six two-year colleges modeled on VSU's Student Support and TRIO Services.
