2015-2018 SUNY LSAMP Bridge to the Doctorate at Binghamton University

The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program assists universities and colleges in diversifying the STEM workforce through their efforts at significantly increasing the numbers of students from historically underrepresented minority populations to successfully complete high quality degree programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The LSAMP Bridge to the Doctorate (LSAMP-BD) activity provides two-year support at the postbaccalaurate level for students from historically underrepresented minority populations to matriculate in STEM graduate programs with the ultimate goal of earning a doctoral degree in a STEM discipline. Participants are selected from LSAMP institutions nationwide. The State University of New York System Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (SUNY LSAMP) under the leadership of Stony Brook University has chosen Binghamton University as the host site for the 2015-2017 BD program in which a cohort of twelve LSAMP certified students selected from the national pool will engage in STEM research, academics and professional development activities leading to STEM Master's and Doctoral degree completion. The BD program at Binghamton University provides a comprehensive set of support services that monitors student progress, builds a strong BD community, and increases BD students' academic and professional skills. Nine cohorts of students have matriculated in SUNY LSAMP graduate LSAMP-BD programs at Stony Brook, Buffalo, Binghamton and Albany since 2006. The programs promote systemic change in graduate education practices and policy in ways that increase the success of individual students on the doctoral pathway and the effectiveness of STEM graduate programs, continuing the goal of diversifying America's STEM workforce. The program at Binghamton University will be externally evaluated and students will be tracked throughout the program and into STEM careers following completion of STEM doctoral degree programs. Collaborations with other STEM networks and resources internal and external to the state as well as other graduate programs, such as NSF's Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP), Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) and institutional resources will further ensure that students complete the STEM terminal degree.