September 10th, 2009 | Medgar Evers College
Medgar Evers College Biology Professors Dr. Edward Catapane and Dr. Margaret Carroll recently received a five-year grant totaling more than $1 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to continue the Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program – a joint initiative between Medgar Evers College and Kingsborough Community College – designed to increase the number and quality of undergraduate science students earning a bachelor’s in science and pursuing careers in biomedical research. The funds – from the NIH’s Minority Opportunities in Research (MORE) and National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) – provide resources for up to 20 students from September 2009 to August 2014.
“We are extremely excited about the opportunity to continue mentoring students who want to pursue careers in biomedical research,” said Program Director Dr. Edward J. Catapane. “This grant enables us to support some very talented undergraduates who have the potential to establish careers in and contribute to the biomedical field. All program staff are dedicated to helping students realize their academic and professional ambitions,” said co-Program Director, Dr. Margaret Carroll.
The Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program provides students with academic mentoring, career counseling, participation in scientific research projects, attendance at scientific seminars, field trips, special courses, and paid summer research opportunities. Students also receive instruction in verbal, written and mathematical skills (foundational elements for a biomedical career), an understanding of the relationships between biomedical studies and other aspects of life, and special assistance easing the transition from a two-year school, Kingsborough Community College, to a four-year school, Medgar Evers College.
The Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program provides an educational environment helping students with an associate’s degree in science continue their education and earn a Bachelor’s in science. The transition between completion of an A.S. degree and entering a bachelor’s program can be difficult, particularly for minority students who are significantly underrepresented in biomedical research. The goal is to promote success with two years of intervention and enrichment drawing on the combined resources of Medgar Evers and Kingsborough Community College. To achieve this goal, both schools will continue bolstering an already strong relationship, and strengthening many program components.
About Medgar Evers College, CUNY
Medgar Evers College was founded in 1969 through the efforts from educators and community leaders in central Brooklyn. The College is named after Medgar Wiley Evers, a Mississippi-born black civil rights activist who was assassinated on June 12, 1963. The College is divided into four schools: The School of Business; The School of Professional and Community Development; The School of Liberal Arts and Education; and The School of Science, Health, and Technology. Through these Schools, the College offers 29 associate and baccalaureate degree programs, as well as certificate programs in fields such as English, Nursing, and Accounting. Medgar Evers College also operates several co-curricular and external programs and associated centers such as the Male Development and Empowerment Center, the Center for Women’s Development, the Center for Black Literature, and The DuBois Bunche Center for Public Policy.