Content and Quality of Science Training Programs Matter: Longitudinal Study of the Biology Scholars Program

Abstract

The current study examined a well-established science training program, the UC Berkeley Biology Scholars Program, to see which aspects of the program contribute to students’ greater integration into their professional communities and intentions to persist in science career pathways.

The Pathways Undergraduate Researchers Program: Fostering Career Interests, Sense of Belonging, and Student Confidence in Pursuing Science

“…Evaluation data collected from 2018 through 2021 from the Pathways Undergraduates program highlights the importance of supporting students in biomedicine through authentic research experiences and meaningful connections to people in the STEM community. These strong social connections have been shown to positively impact undergraduates' identity and persistence in science (Estrada, et al 2021). Additionally, our findings suggest that internships could engage students by emphasizing the pursuit of STEM careers as a way to support their social values, such as addressing health disparities.…”

“…Finally, the undergraduate interns act as role models and nearpeer mentor to the high school students in our concurrent summer program. Estrada et al (2021) stress the importance of building strong social relationships in supporting undergraduates to succeed in STEM. Pathways Undergraduates seeks to establish social connections and raise awareness among interns of their importance in career persistence.…”

“When I talk about it, my eyes light up!” Impacts of a national laboratory internship on community college student success

“…Those involved in reviewing applications can consider the potential impact such an opportunity might have for a student with limited access to those opportunities. The Level Playing Field Institute in Oakland, California and the Biology Scholars Program at the University of California, Berkeley consider factors such as “distance traveled.” Rather than previous achievements, distance traveled examines an applicant’s trajectory, including the resources and support they had access to and what hurdles they have overcome to arrive at their current academic/career stage (Craig, 2015; Estrada et al, 2021; Martin & Scott, 2013; Matsui, 2018).…”

“…We explored the ways in which community college students experience benefits as a direct result of participation in a STEM internship, to learn both how and why this program impacted its participants (Estrada et al, 2021). Although many quantitative studies have documented achievement levels for undergraduates across different institution types, there is a gap in knowledge about the academic trajectories and experiences of students attending U.S. community colleges and the ways in which their personal experiences have impacted their academic and career success (Crisp et al, 2016; Taylor & Jain, 2017).…”

“…In our experience, students attending baccalaureate granting institutions often have more access to and what hurdles they have overcome to arrive at their current academic/career stage (Craig, 2015;Estrada et al, 2021;Martin & Scott, 2013;Matsui, 2018).…”