Jami P. Joyner, White Thorn, Dr. Lisa Flores, Debora Rivera:

Increasing Undergraduate Research Experiences to abet Graduate Persistence for Underrepresented Students

University of Missouri, Graduate and Law Schools

Abstract

In 2001, Latinos earned 3 percent of doctoral degrees (1,500), while whites earned 61 percent, blacks earned 5 percent, Asian/Pacific Islanders earned 6 percent, and nonresident aliens earned 24 percent of doctoral degrees (¹ U.S. Department of Education, 2002). The primary doctoral degrees earned by Latinos were education, psychology, and biological/life sciences (² U.S. Department of Education, 2002). Despite the increase in minorities earning graduate and professional degree and/or being enrolled in graduate program, a need still remains to further and consistently work to fulfill a commitment to collegian achievement by seeking to increase the number of underrepresented students who receive baccalaureate and graduate degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), as well as in behavioral and social sciences.

It is essential that talented underrepresented undergraduate collegians are offered a bridge to and prepared for graduate school. Undergraduates of color are in need of mentoring, financial, educational, and career development which assist them with successfully entering and completing graduate degree programs.

The panelists will base the discussion around their experiences recruiting, mentoring and participating in research internships aimed at increasing opportunities of graduate study for underrepresented groups. This panel will discuss and respond to questions pertaining to strategies to increase the diversity of graduate degree earners and tenure track faculty of color. It will also entail a dialogue in regards to successfully mentoring students of color. This panel will communicate the benefits of minority students participating in the research internship programs in which collegians of color are provided with research experience under the direction of faculty mentors and/or workshops to prepare them to obtain an advanced degree.

Additionally, the panel will discuss how it is incumbent upon university and college administrators and faculty to recognize exceptional underrepresented undergraduate collegians for opportunities to benefit from participating in research and obtaining a terminal degree.

1 U.S. Department of Education, National Center on Education Statistics (NCES), Digest of Education Statistics, 2002, Table 270.

2 U.S. Department of Education, National Center on Education Statistics (NCES), Digest of Education Statistics, 2002, Table 271.

Contact Information:

Jami P. Joyner, Doctoral Student ELPA

MU Graduate School 210 Jesse Hall Columbia MO 65211

JoynerJ@missouri.edu

Graduate Research Assistant–Louis Stokes Missouri Alliance for Minority Participation

Stephanie White Thorn, MU Law School Student

MU Graduate School 210 Jesse Hall Columbia MO 65211

whitethorns@missouri.edu

Graduate Assistant, Gradate Student Affairs

Dr. Lisa Flores, Assistant Professor ES&CP

301 Noyes Hall Columbia MO 65211

floresly@missouri.edu

Debora Rivera, Graduate Student ES&CP

301 Noyes Hall Columbia MO 65211

drqhd@mizzou.edu