Minorities remain underrepresented in scientific, medical, public health professions. Support for minority student interest in science and health related careers must be instituted at all academic levels. Project Success is a research and career development program providing multi-year support to minority and disadvantaged local high school students.
Project Success has three goals: (1) to identify, recruit and nurture underrepresented minority high school students with a talent for science and an interest in pursuing a biomedical, behavior science career or public health; (2) to provide students with hands-on research laboratory experiences to enhance their technical skills and scientific knowledge and encourage critical thinking; (3) to provide continuity in support and resources for students in moving along their academic career paths and to demonstrate to minority students that excellence is rewarded.
Students are matched with researchers from Harvard Medical School (HMS), School of Public Health and HMS-affiliated hospitals. Through this combined summer and academic-year program, students receive a hands-on mentored science research experience, career guidance, access to role models, participation in seminars and site visits.
Sixty students have participated in Project Success since the program's inception in 1983. All students have matriculated at a 4-year college or university. Twenty-seven students have participated for two years, ten for three and one for four years. Eighty-two of these experiences were as high school students and 16 as college students.
Learning Objectives: 1) understanding role of continuity and mentoring in career development; 2) use of multi-factored approach to improve the diversity pipelines;3) a model of academic-community linkages
Keywords: Minorities, Workforce
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.