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Campbell AG, Thompson NL, Duncan M, Harrington EO. Improved and Sustained Graduate Programs Diversity Outcomes: a 10-year Analysis and Summary of the Brown University IMSD Program. Journal for STEM Educ Res 2021; 4:257-277. [PMID: 34966887 PMCID: PMC8713804 DOI: 10.1007/s41979-021-00057-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
This report describes the 10-year outcome of implementing practices that support and foster success of underrepresented students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) graduate training at Brown University. The results show sustained improvements in compositional diversity, retention, and degree attainment of supported students relative to their peers. Among the outcomes is an increase in enrolled student diversity from 19 (35 of 179) to 26% (58 of 223) for historically underrepresented minority (URM) students and an increase in Ph.D. degree attainment from 4 (1 of 25) to 14% (6 of 44) for this group. These achievements follow the introduction and coordination of academic and co-curricular practices through the National Institutes of General Medical Sciences–funded Brown University Initiative to Maximize Student Development (IMSD) Program. At the center of these outcomes is the alignment of IMSD practices with recent diversity initiatives launched by the university. The outcomes described result from long-term commitments to building a culture that includes: (1) development of relationships that serve underrepresented students, (2) provision of a personalized education program of support and skills-based learning that supplements discipline-based research and coursework, and (3) investments in processes that build a culture that values and benefits from diversity. These practices may yield similar outcomes and success for students when applied elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew G. Campbell
- Offices of the Provost and the Dean of the Graduate School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Brown IMSD Program, Division of Biology & Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Nancy L. Thompson
- Brown IMSD Program, Division of Biology & Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Department of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Marlina Duncan
- Offices of the Provost and the Dean of the Graduate School, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Brown IMSD Program, Division of Biology & Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Elizabeth O. Harrington
- Brown IMSD Program, Division of Biology & Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Department of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Research Division, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, RI 02908, USA
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