Making a difference for minorities: Evaluation of an educational enrichment program

Abstract

A comprehensive, quantitative evaluation of an educational intervention program designed to reduce the attrition of minorities from the biological sciences was undertaken to ascertain whether such efforts adequately address the problem. Program participants had greater odds of persisting in basic math and science courses, and of graduating in biology, than did a comparison group, controlling for demographics and academic preparation. Undergraduate research greatly increased the odds of positive graduation outcomes. Program participants were also more likely to pursue graduate study than were university graduates overall. This evaluation demonstrates the value of such programs in increasing the representation of minorities in science. ß

Understanding graduate school aspirations: the effect of good teaching practices

“…Researchers have also studied the benefits of undergraduate research programs (Allen & Zepeda, 2007;Barlow & Villarejo, 2004;Carter, Mandell, & Maton, 2009;Chatman, 2005;Eagan, et al2010;Hathaway, Nagda, & Gregerman, 2002;Maton & Hrabowski, 2004;Seymour, Hunter, Laursen, & DeAntoni, 2004). In particular, some research has demonstrated that such programs may increase students' decision to pursue post-baccalaureate studies.…”

Training Future Scientists: Predicting First-year Minority Student Participation in Health Science Research

“…Research experiences also have been shown to boost URM-specific retention, academic achievement, and graduate school enrollment (Barlow and Villarejo 2004;Foertsch et al 1997;Jonides 1995). For example, a University of Michigan undergraduate research program for first-and second-year students found that participation contributed to lower attrition rates, higher grades, and positive effects on self-esteem (Nagda et al 1998).…”

“…Becoming involved in scientific research early in college indicates a potentially strong commitment to pursuing not only a science major but also an advanced science degree, as previous research points to the importance of undergraduate research experiences in encouraging students to go on to graduate study (Barlow and Villarejo 2004). To the extent that URM students understand how participating in a structured research program improves their likelihood of reaching their educational goals, they may seek out research experiences as early as their first year of college.…”

“…Despite this growth, under-represented racial minority (URM) 1 students are not graduating at the same rate as White and Asian American students, particularly in the sciences . Such disparities present even more cause for concern when considering that minority students are as likely as their White counterparts to pursue a science major in college (National Science Foundation (NSF) 2002), but are less likely to graduate with a science degree (Barlow and Villarejo 2004). Of the URM students who entered college in 1989 intending to major in science or engineering, only 27% earned a baccalaureate degree in one of these fields by 1994.…”

“…Although a body of evidence exists that supports the benefits of undergraduate research (see for example, Barlow and Villarejo 2004;Foertsch et al 1997;Jonides 1995;Nagda et al 1998), little research has identified the individual and institutional forces that attract students into these programs and experiences at an early stage in their undergraduate career. Yet, more than 80 institutions across the country offer such research opportunities to first-year students.…”