The goal of our proposed RISE program is to increase significantly the number of minority students pursuing biomedical careers by involving them in a number of curricular, research and co-curricular activities. SFSU enrolls large numbers of underrepresented minority students, with strong enrollment in each major ethnic category, and has an outstanding record of awarding significant numbers of baccalaureate and masters degrees to minority students, many of whom have gone on to earn PhD degrees. San Francisco State University (SFSU) has a proven commitment to preparing minority students for PhD programs and biomedical careers and has developed a number of federally-funded minority enhancement programs in the biomedical sciences. We have identified a number of barriers which these undergraduates as well as graduate minority students face in meeting their goals for a future in the biomedical sciences. Funding of an MBRS RISE program at SFSU will allow us, in combination with our other funded programs at SFSU (e.g. SCORE RIMI), to provide the type of infrastructure and activities necessary to help significant numbers of students overcome these barriers. A set of well- defined and logically ordered activities has been developed to meet the specific needs of students at various stages of their careers (lower-division Pre-Research, upper-division Research- Active and masters degree students). Each activity addresses the following needs: 1) ensuring retention of students in their major, 2) active involvement in research, 3) building self- confidence, 4) development of essential communication skills, and 5) preparation for success in PhD programs. The outcomes of these programs will be critically evaluated and reasonable adjustments made during the term of the grant to assure our goals and objectives are met.
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