PARTNERS FOR SUCCESS: Building Partnerships to Increase Success of Underrepresented Minorities in Physics

University Of Texas At El Paso, El Paso TX

Investigators

Abstract

This planning project entitled PARTNERS FOR SUCCESS: Building Partnerships to Increase Success of Underrepresented Minorities in Physics at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is developing an innovative model to attract, retain, and bridge underrepresented minority students to graduate school in physics. The project aims to develop partnerships between Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) and degree granting institutions. The main idea is to develop a well-structured mentoring and support model between the participating institutions that will be institutionalized for sustainable impact. Attention is paid to the students' steps of the path, from pre to post baccalaureate. The project seeks to first attract students to the discipline and then provide them with effective mentoring and a wealth of research opportunities at the MSI. Then in partnership with doctoral degree granting institutions, students are assisted in overcoming the challenges they face in obtaining a doctoral degree in physics. Although this model will be implemented at the UTEP, a Hispanic Serving Institution, it has the potential to impact underrepresented minority students throughout the nation due to its transferability.