Northern Colorado Bridge to Baccalaureate (NOCO B2B) traineeship program aims at increasing participation of underrepresented (UR) students in research careers in behavioral and biosciences. Each year, a cohort of 10 new trainees will be recruited from Front Range Community College (FRCC) underrepresented student population who are pursuing transfer to behavioral and bioscience research programs at Colorado State University (CSU). Trainees will receive a monthly stipend as they engage in research and scholarship support for two full years spanning their enrollment at FRCC and CSU. The NOCO B2B traineeship program will provide a scaffold of academic support services, co-curricular and extra-curricular programming and mentored-research opportunities to underrepresented Front Range Community College (FRCC) through a B2B learning community. Trainees will be coached to follow an optimal enrollment pattern to advance toward completion of a bachelor?s degree in a timely manner via an articulated pathway for transfer to their major at CSU. Trainees will begin their traineeship at FRCC the spring semester prior to transfer to CSU and participate in summer research experiences for undergraduates (REU) at CSU. Scholarships will provide financial support to allow students to enroll full-time. Stipends will alleviate students? need for low-wage employment unrelated to their career path and allow them to focus on their research training. The program creates continuity between the FRCC and CSU experience through the use of articulated MAPs, co-enrollment opportunities at CSU prior to transfer, and a transfer learning community at CSU with social and academic events, and an upper division, 1-credit Transfer Student Seminar, ?Becoming a Scientist.? The cohort-based program allows students to make strong connections amongst faculty, mentors and peers contributing to retention and completion. Sixty FRCC UR students will participate in the traineeship program and receive two years of scholarships and stipend support. 100% of trainees will complete a Summer REU; 100% of the trainee cohort who transfer to CSU will join the Transfer Student Learning Community and complete the Transfer Student Seminar ?Becoming a Scientist;? 75% of trainees will complete a B.S. degree within three years of transferring; 80% of completers will obtain employment in a field related to their major or apply to a graduate program in behavioral or bioscience.
This project will contribute to public health by increase the recruitment, retention and success of community college students in obtaining a bachelor?s degree in the behavioral and biomedical sciences. The students in our training program will conduct research project contributing to the knowledge base in behavioral and biomedical sciences improving the health, life span, reducing illness and disability. This training program will increase the numbers, retention and success of students continuing on in the behavioral and biomedical science workforce at graduate students, research technicians, medical professionals, etc.
