Lessons from the Leadership Alliance Research on Interventions that Encourage Minorities to Pursue Science Research Careers Valerie Petit Wilson, PhD Executive Director, Leadership Alliance Associate Dean of the Graduate School Clinical Professor of Community Health

The Leadership Alliance www.theleadershipalliance.org Member Institutions Brooklyn College Brown University Chaminade University Claflin University Columbia University Cornell University Dartmouth College Delaware State University Dillard University Harvard University Howard University Hunter College Johns Hopkins University Montana State University-Bozeman Morehouse College Morgan State University New York University Prairie View A&M University Princeton University Spelman College Stanford University Tougaloo College Tufts University University of Chicago University of Colorado at Boulder University of Maryland, Baltimore County University of Miami University of Pennsylvania University of Puerto Rico University of Virginia Vanderbilt University Xavier University of Louisiana Yale University The Leadership Alliance www.theleadershipalliance.org A Consortium of 33 Outstanding Academic Institutions Shared Vision: Greater diversity in the nation’s institutions of higher learning Shared Commitment: Assist underrepresented minority students become future educators and leaders for our academic, public and government organizations

What Elements Matter? Selecting the Appropriate Students Providing the Right Information at the Right Time Building Partnerships and Linking Resources to Assure Transitions to the Next Level Maintaining a Robust Network to Assess Outcomes and Provide Advice to Protégés as they Advance Over Time Understanding Societal, Economic and Other factors that are attendant to career choices

What Elements Matter? Selecting the Appropriate Students Understand the source of students who enroll in your programs Determine if the program selection criteria reflect the intent of your program's goals Determine if your program increases the number of students in the pool or enriches those already in the pool

Selecting Appropriate Students Institutional Sources of Participants Institutional Diversity 60% of participants were from the 33 Alliance Institutions; 40% of the participants were from 154 unique undergraduate institutions. Institutional Classification* 46.7% - Doctoral/Research 29.5% - Master’s 20.9% - Baccalaureate 1.0% - Associates 1.0% from Specialized Institutions, Tribal colleges 0.5% - Unclassified * 2006 Modification of the Revised Carnegie Classification Alliance program is open to students nationwide… …for talented students are from many institutions

Selection Reflects Intent Are Participants Oriented Towards Graduate Training? Do the program selection criteria reflect this aspiration? Data in early years indicated that large numbers of students entered MD and other clinical training programs Why? Selection criteria based on GPA and not on career aspiration Change/revise selection procedure Revise selection criteria to reflect program intent Communicate program intent to prospective candidates Prioritize Applications from those intending PhD or MD/PHD degrees Selection Reflects Intent Track and Follow Progression into Programs

Are We Widening the Pool of Students Prepared for Graduate Training? While not an exclusive criterion, external research experience is a factor in admissions decisions to competitive graduate training programs Findings : 1 of every 3 students was a rising senior without prior undergraduate research experience. Students were: From campuses without funded undergrad research programs; and Otherwise qualified students who are not enrolled in undergrad research programs on their campuses Conclusion: Many otherwise qualified students would be considered non-competitive for leading training programs Interpretation: Every student will not be identified ‘early’ – look at those who come to these career aspirations relatively late in the undergrad career Classification % of Cohort Seniors With Research Experience 30.9 Seniors Without Research Experience 29.7 Underclassmen with Research Experience 13.1 Underclassmen without research experience 26.3

What Elements Matter? Providing the Right Information at the Right Time Provide information on graduate training options and the careers that result from specific training Understand why correct information is important for the student and the training program so as to achieve mutual goals

What is PhD Training? Do I want a Research Career? What PhD training is about: Better understanding of the nature of graduate training and the goals of a research career. Differences Among Career Options: Enhance students’ ability to make an informed career choice. Understanding Expectations: Both Requirements for the Application process and Expectations of Programs in initial years.

Why Do Better Training Choices Matter Why Do Better Training Choices Matter? Do I have what it takes to complete a PhD? Research Outcomes Goal A Quality Research Experience for Each Participant. Better Graduate Training Decision-Making by Program Participants Increased Acceptance of Program Participants into Graduate Schools of Choice Reduced Opportunity Costs to Graduate Program Result? Greater Retention in the 1st 2 years of Graduate Training Social Outcomes Goal Envisioning Themselves in the Role of Researcher Connection to a Network: Interacting with a group of students who are like-minded and academically focused Peer support from Graduate Students and Postdocs who look like them Confidence in their research abilities Result? Increased Persistence by Students

What Elements Matter: #3 Building Partnerships and Linking Resources to Track Transitions to the Next Level Develop tracking systems to follow students’ progression Evaluate student outcomes to determine which training environments benefit from your undergraduate research program

Do You Track Student Progression Do You Track Student Progression? Is my former student enrolled in graduate school ? Confounders Highly mobile 1-3 years since summer program. Break Before Beginning Graduate School Enrolled in Master’s or Postbac Programs Multiple Program Participation Our Tracking Mechanism for gathering information Yearly surveys for three years of all students to permanent address: Year 1 4 months after summer 8 months after summer In Dec for 2 additional years Social networks for information gathering Alliance intranet site Conferences and Meeting

Do Enrollment Outcomes Reflect Program Intent. What field of study Do Enrollment Outcomes Reflect Program Intent? What field of study? What Institution? Are STEM Enrollments Increasing? Greater Proportion in STEM Constant proportion Medical/Clinical Larger Number overall Where are Enrollments Increasing? SR-EIP alum is nearly three times more likely to attend a Leadership Alliance Institution

What Elements Matter: #4 Maintain a robust network to assess outcomes and provide advice to protégés as they advance over time Set up long-term tracking to assess degree completion times Assess Outcomes Compared to National Standards

How Long is Longitudinal? When Did You finish? How Can I Find You? How to Get the Data? Multiple tracking modes Program Based e-mails to all available addresses Snail mail to permanent addresses Network Based Intranet Sites JustGarciaHill website External sources Google search by name and by putative graduate institutions ProQuest for Dissertation Completion Data tracker sources An Individual History of a PhD? Time to degree Defense date vs. graduation date MS before PhD or direct to PhD route ‘Stopping out’ We may also need to know Sources of funding Plans for post PhD activity

LA Progression 61% have gone into grad programs What are the Students’ Training Outcomes? How Does the Program Compare to National Outcomes? National Outcome= 28% progress into grad training LA Progression 61% have gone into grad programs 23% PhDs 3% MD/PhD 12% MS 18% MD 5% Other degrees

What is the Impact on Engagement in Scientific Careers What is the Impact on Engagement in Scientific Careers? What are you doing now that you have completed your degree? LA Alums with PhDs are remaining in the academic career pathway by Choosing Postdocs Choosing Academic & Research Careers LA Alums in Academic Careers are Diversifying all levels of the Academy More than half in Research Institutions

What Elements Matter? Understanding Societal, Economic and Other factors that are attendant to career choices What are the Economic Factors? What are the Social Factor?

What Affects the PhD Training Context What Affects the PhD Training Context ? How Does ‘Real Life’ Affect Our Efforts? Variables Under Control of Market Forces Funds available to support graduate trainees Competition from international or other students The draw of the job market after BS degree Undergraduate debt burden Variables Under Control by Institutions Time to degree varies by institution Time to degree varies by discipline Time to degree varies by mentor Variables Control by Socio-Economic Circumstances Social Acceptance of PhD training Race/ethnicity Lifestyle Choices – e.g. gender Economic Consequences of pursuing PhD