Page 26 - T-I JOURNAL19-3

University, Washington University, and the University of Washington, to name a few (full list
provided in Table 2). Table 1 summarizes the current placement of those students who graduated
as LA-STEM Graduates, having successfully maintained the program requirements. Seventy-six
(76%) of all LA-STEM Graduates have completed or are pursuing post-baccalaureate degrees. In
this table, the current placement of those students who are still pursuing undergraduate degrees
or those who participated in the program for varying durations but did not graduate as LA-STEM
scholars due to termination, transition to a non-STEM major, or resignation is also provided.
586 CRAWFORD ET AL.

Table 1. Current Placement of LA-STEM Scholars
Table 1. Current Placement of LA-STEM Scholars
LA-STEM Graduates Other LA-STEM
(160) Participants (90)

Count % Count %
Completed PhD (19 in STEM) 20 12% 1 1%

Completed STEM MS 18 11% 5 5%

Completed non-STEM MS 7 4% 6 6%
Completed MD, DDS, DVM, PharmD, or JD 21 13% 4 4%

Currently Enrolled in STEM PhD 42 26% 5 5%

Currently Enrolled in STEM MS 4 2% 2 2%
Currently Enrolled in MD or DDS 8 5% -- --

Currently Enrolled in MD/PhD 2 1% -- --
Employed or Year off prior to PhD 38 24% 64 71%

Current Undergraduate -- -- 3 3%

for the purposes of this study, the following will Summer Bridge as a whole was a great learning

be discussed: Summer Bridge Program; academic experience for me. Through this program I’ve
enrichment; peer mentoring; strong staff support; learned much about research, college life, group
Table 2. Post-Baccalaureate School Placement of LA-STEM Research Scholars
and integration into research. work, campus resources, and long-term planning.
I’ve also met a lot of hardworking, talented peers
Summer Bridge Program who have very similar interests and goals as I have,
Participants cited Summer Bridge as “the best” and they have motivated me greatly and given me
aspect of the LA-STEM model, as it provided them much confidence.
with meaningful peer interactions through the sense – Obtained anonymously through 2012 Summer
of community that was fostered by the program. In Bridge survey
many instances, participants formed life-long friend-
ships, often with peers of different backgrounds, The detailed explanations about what a PhD is
typically as a result of strategic roommate pairings and why it is something to strive for have had the
most impact on my academic and career goals.
and team-building activities. Some of the greatest Before Summer Bridge, I had little to no interest
gains reported were in their enthusiasm, confidence, in attending graduate school, primarily because
and comfort with LSU. They also demonstrated strong I had little to no knowledge on the subject. Due
gains in their understanding of professionalism, eth- to Summer Bridge, I now have an active goal to
ics, and their majors (23). Similar bridge programs strive for during my undergraduate years as well as
have been shown to contribute to student success plans for the future that involve pathways I never
through building friendships and cultivating a sense could have dreamed of before this experience.
of belonging within a community of like-minded
learners (36-38). – Obtained anonymously through 2012 Summer
Bridge survey