On successful implementation of an NSF-funded bridge to the doctorate program in STEM disciplines

Abstract

As a result of competitive review, North Carolina State University won a grant from the National Science Foundation to serve as the 2008-2010 Bridge to the Doctorate Project institutional site for the NSF-funded North Carolina Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (NCLSAMP) Program. The primary goal of the NC-LSAMP BD project is to broaden participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines by attracting underrepresented minority students. With more than 31,000 students and nearly 8,000 faculty and staff, NC State University is a comprehensive university known for its leadership in education and research, and globally recognized for its STEM leadership. As one of the leading land-grant institutions in the nation, NC State is committed to playing an active and vital role in improving the quality of life for the citizens of North Carolina, the nation and the world. With the NSF grant of $987,000, NC State will support a critical mass of 12 Bridge to the Doctorate fellows in each of the two years of this program. The BD program at North Carolina State University will have a significant impact on the retention and graduation rates of underrepresented minority STEM graduate students. This will occur because the BD funding will allow us to compete more strongly for STEM undergraduates at our NC-LSAMP partner institutions and nationally. It will also help fill the funding gap for students seeking the Ph.D. degree, but are currently not admissible to top ranked engineering programs such as NC State because we do not admit undergraduate scholars directly into most of our Ph.D. programs. The number and quality of graduate research experiences as well as NCLSAMP support to participate in regional and national conferences will also serve as a catalyst in the retention of talented graduate students. This paper provides summary information on the NSF Bridge to Doctorate Program and then discusses the need to increase the number of US STEM graduates. It then shares a portion of our winning proposal elements. These include university infrastructure support, our comprehensive graduate student funding model, prior NC-LSAMP BD success, and strategies for successful implementation given the short recruiting cycle. The paper concludes with unanticipated challenges to success. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2009.