UHOP Scholarship Program

University Of Alabama In Huntsville, Huntsville AL

Investigators

Abstract

This project addresses the national need to increase the preparation of US citizens, especially groups underrepresented in STEM, for jobs in the biotechnology industry and academia. Local workforce needs are addressed by focusing on biotechnology, one of the growing industries in northern Alabama. The goal of the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) - Hudson Alpha Outreach Partnership (UHOP) program is to improve recruitment, retention and graduation rates of academically-talented, financially-needy undergraduate students interested in careers in biotechnology by providing them with financial support, mentorships, experiential activities, and undergraduate biotechnology research opportunities. The UHOP partnership will provide students with a traditional academic-based curriculum enhanced by a practical industrial based component. The project is expected to influence student academic aspiration, motivation and career success and to provide a ready workforce for fostering the local and state-wide biotechnology industry. This program, combined with an existing Joint Undergraduate Master's Program, is designed to motivate students to complete a master's degree, leading to increased employment and higher salary opportunities. Evaluation of the UHOP program will be performed by an external evaluator. Components of the evaluation plan include comparing retention, academic performance, and graduation rates of UHOP scholars with those of other majors. Student success after graduation will be tracked and evaluated using using social media such as Facebook. An external review board composed of educators within and external to UAH and Hudson Alpha provides recommendations for the UHOP program on an ongoing basis.