The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program assists universities and colleges in diversifying the STEM workforce through their efforts at significantly increasing the numbers of students from historically underrepresented minority populations to successfully complete high quality degree programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The LSAMP Bridge to the Doctorate (LSAMP BD) activity provides two-year support at the post-baccalaureate level for students from historically underrepresented minority populations to matriculate in STEM graduate programs with the ultimate goal of earning a doctoral degree in a STEM discipline. Participants are selected from LSAMP institutions nationwide.
The Louis Stokes Louisiana Alliance for Minority Participation (LS-LAMP), under the leadership of the Louisiana Board of Regents and Southern University, has chosen Louisiana State University (LSU) as the site for the seventh cohort of LSAMP Bridge to the Doctorate participants during 2015-2017. This cohort of twelve LSAMP BD students will engage in STEM research, academics and professional development leading to acceptance and completion of the doctoral program. The LS-LAMP graduate BD program at LSU has the potential to promote systemic change in graduate education practices and policy in ways that will increase the success of individual students on the doctoral pathway and the effectiveness of STEM graduate programs with a goal of diversifying America's STEM workforce.
The BD program at LSU employs a proven program of systemic mentoring with components for innovative recruitment, engagement, retention, evaluation, student tracking and dissemination. The program includes collaborations and linkages with other STEM networks and resources, such as the Louisiana Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (Louisiana EPSCoR), other state fellowship programs as well as institutional resources to ensure students successful completion of the STEM doctoral degree. The program will be externally evaluated and students will be tracked throughout the program and into STEM careers following completion of STEM doctoral degree programs.
