Montgomery College, the oldest and largest community college in the state of Maryland, is seeing to establish a two year pilot program designed to increase the overall performance and stem the attrition rate of minority and disadvantaged students in our introductory science courses. Fundamental changes are proposed in the way that minority and disadvantaged students who have expressed an interest in a baccalaureate degree in the biomedical sciences are educated at the college. An initial group of 20 students who are graduating from county high schools will be identified and a learning cohort of these students will be established. The students will participate in a six-week pre-matriculation summer bridge program that smoothes the transition from high school to college. The pre-matriculation bridge that is proposed involves: 1) an intensive program of math readiness to prepare students to succeed in calculus; 2) reinforcement of writing skills and practice in the expression of scientific thought; 3) an introduction to the technological skills that are used to communicate scientific thought and 4) workshops featuring college survival skills and guest speakers who will expose students to careers in the biomedical sciences. The first year academic program will include aggressive mentoring and advising by science faculty trained to be sensitive to the needs of minority and disadvantaged students. Each advisor and student will develop and academic plan for the student. Academic enrichment in the form of tutoring will be provided. At the end of the first year, students will be placed into summer research internships at partnering four-year institutions such as University of Maryland College Park, and University of Maryland Baltimore County; or into internships in local biomedical laboratories. The second year of the program will continue the mentoring and academic support programs established in the first year. Students will receive career guidance, and assistance in preparing transfer applications. Information regarding financial assistance and scholarship programs at the four-year institutions will also be made available.
