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Academic Initiative

Fisk-Vanderbilt Masters-to-PhD Bridge program

Program Overview

  • Since 2004, the Fisk-Vanderbilt Master’s-to-PhD Bridge Program focuses on increasing the number of underrepresented minorities earning PhDs in Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Materials Science and Physics. After over 135 students, they have built a family of scholars who are committed to mentor one another and to do world-class research. In the first two years of the program, students work towards the Master’s degree at Fisk University, with access to instructional and research opportunities both at Fisk and Vanderbilt, as well as full funding to cover tuition and fees and a monthly stipend. The program prepare students to apply to and thrive within a PhD program of their choice, and we work to cement valuable research connections in the PhD program to make the transition as seamless as possible. Students in the Bridge Family, whether at Vanderbilt or elsewhere, are supported to the PhD and beyond. Students are provided with mentorship, networking opportunities, internships at National labs, assistance with presentations, qualifying exams, thesis and defense preparation, job talks and job placement. As a result Fisk has become the nation’s top producer of African American Master’s degrees in Physics and Vanderbilt has become a top producer of underrepresented minority PhDs in Astronomy, Physics, and Materials Science.

Benefits

  • Support is from the Department of Education including Title VII and GAANN grants. There is also support from Bridge to the Doctorate grants from NIH (R25), NSF Grants both for the program in general and specific grants to our mentors. Further there are grants pending with NASA.

Program Contact

  • Lauren Campbell
  • lauren.e.p.campbell@vanderbilt.edu

Location

  • Southeast
  • 2201 West End Ave, Nashville, TN 37240, USA
2201 West End Ave, Nashville, TN 37240, USA

Type Of Program

Audience

  • Graduate

Discipline(s)

  • Life Sciences

  • Physical Sciences

  • STEM

History

Established

2004

Individuals Served

  • 101-500

Notable Alumni

The program produced the first African American woman to graduate with a PhD in astronomy from Yale University (Jedidah Isler, PhD, astrophysicist, founder of Vanguard STEM)

Research, Roles & Responsibilities

Research Components

  • Funding to attend professional development sessions/coursework

Involvement

Involvement Practices/Activities

  • Creation Of A Safe Space/ Climate/Environment

  • Development Of Academic Sense Of Belongingness (E.G. Meetings With Doctoral Scholars, Peer Researchers, Exchanges At Academic Conferences)

  • Orientation (E.G. Reviewing Norms, Expectations, Structures, Goals, And/Or Protocols)

  • Specialized Curricula/Workshops (E.G. Training For Participants, Directors And/Or Faculty On Imposter Syndrome, Implicit Bias, Microaggressions)

Voice

  • The program offers a Research Celebration Day, which brings students, faculty, and alumni together to learn about scholarship and each other

Mentoring Components

  • Mentees Are Allowed To Attend Events With Mentors (I.E. Dinners, Social Events, Conferences, Retreats)

  • Mentees Are Shown Academic Customs, Pitfalls, Departmental Politics And Taboos

  • Mentors Are Peers Of Program Participants (Near-Peer, Tiered Peer, Etc.)

  • Mentors Exchange Social Displays Of Scientific Knowledge And Practices

  • Mentors Provide Regular Scheduled Meetings With Mentees

  • Mentors Provide Support With Academic Or Discipline Specific Knowledge Through Direct Teaching

  • Mentors Provide Support With Goal Setting And Or Career Planning

Expectation

  • Key performance indicators include: student experience, degree completion, transition and retention to the Ph.D., Ph.D. completion, time to degree, fellowships, student publications, grant funding, and employment.
  • Our program has produced over 90 Master's degrees and 36 PhDs since 2004.

Evaluation Methods

  • Annual Performance Report

  • External Review/Evaluation

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  This material is based upon work partially supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Nos. and 1818458 and 2010676. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed on this site are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation

Copyright © 2021 Academic Pipeline Project

 

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