1. 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

2. 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
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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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.

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. How Long is Longitudinal? When Did You finish? How Can I Find You?
How to Get the Data? Multiple tracking modes
Program Based
s 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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?

19. 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