The current Institutional Training Grant (T32) announcement describes a major policy change, calling for a "Recruitment and Retention Plan to Enhance Diversity." This policy expands the definitions of groups currently underrepresented in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and social sciences to include: (A) individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, (B) individuals with disabilities, and (C) individuals from socially, culturally, economically, or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds that have inhibited their ability to pursue a career in health-related research. Institutions are encouraged to identify candidates who will increase diversity on a national or institutional basis.
However, NIGMS continues to place special emphasis on the recruitment, retention, and graduation of individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic minority groups. Successful recruitment of minority students and fellows requires active involvement of the program director and the entire training grant faculty. Some approaches that have been used by NIGMS training grant programs are presented below. The list is by no means comprehensive and new ideas always are needed. Many of the suggestions are directed toward predoctoral training grant programs. With appropriate modification, they may be applied to postdoctoral training programs as well. We urge all programs that develop additional ideas for identifying and recruiting minority students to send them to us so that we can share them with the training community.
Successful recruitment of minority students and fellows requires active involvement of the program director and the entire training grant faculty. Some approaches that have been used by NIGMS training grant programs are presented below. The list is by no means comprehensive and new ideas always are needed. Many of the suggestions are directed toward predoctoral training grant programs. With appropriate modification, they may be applied to postdoctoral training programs as well. We urge all programs that develop additional ideas for identifying and recruiting minority students to send them to us so that we can share them with the training community.
From the Outset
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Design recruitment activities uniquely appropriate for the program. Consider the scientific area of the training program, the size and location of the campus, the mentoring style of the program's faculty, and the student recruitment system of your parent institution as you design your recruitment plan.
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Consider schools in addition to traditionally minority-serving institutions. Large institutions may have a considerable number of minority students with appropriate undergraduate training.
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Evaluate the admissions process, especially its early phases. Consider whether criteria or practices are screening out candidates prematurely or unnecessarily. Increase the use and weight of the interview versus paper credentials.
Targeted Recruitment Activities
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Visit schools with substantial minority enrollments to publicize graduate training opportunities. Visits by training grant program directors, faculty, and especially students are key. Faculty invited to give seminars at other schools have asked their hosts to set up discussions with minority undergraduate students.
- Communicate directly (e.g., letters, phone calls) with selected groups of prospective applicants. Potential minority group applicants or their faculty mentors were identified through many sources, including:
- Minority Student Locator Service of the Educational Testing Service (can be searched by specific criteria)
- Students supported by NIGMS MARC and MBRS programs
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and National Science Foundation (NSF) predoctoral minority fellows and programs for undergraduate students
- Professional society subgroups for members from underrepresented minority groups
- Topic-specific programs, such as industrial internship programs for chemistry or biotech programs
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Communicate (e.g., letters, phone calls, brochures, posters) with deans and department chairs at historically black colleges and universities and at other schools having substantial minority enrollments. (See "Establishing Contacts and Credibility" below.)
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Invite prospective minority applicants (individually or in groups) to visit the campus and meet with faculty and students.
Program Announcements
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Present recruitment sessions, flyers, posters, and video presentations at meetings of appropriate scientific societies. (Again, presentations by training faculty, current students, and alumni are stressed.)
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Recruitment by training faculty and current students at meetings for minority undergraduates interested in science, including those sponsored by the National Institute of Science, the Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science, and the MBRS and MARC programs.
- Advertise in journals that the program is actively recruiting minority students.
- In predominantly minority educational and professional journals (e.g., National Society for Black Engineers Magazine, The Black Collegian)
- In science or science-oriented journals appropriate to the scientific area
- In campus publications of colleges and universities with substantial minority enrollments
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Highlight minorities and minority opportunities in recruiting brochures and address issues and concerns of interest to potential minority candidates.
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Design the training program's Web site to highlight minority recruitment. Link to other campus groups and to statements from current minority students or from minority faculty. Include minority student and faculty in graphics.
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Provide laboratory rotations for minority master's students. Have a more flexible attitude toward the master's degree as an entry into Ph.D. training.
Establishing Contacts and Credibility (Often mentioned are the importance of personal contacts and long-term commitment.)
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Provide summer courses in special biomedical topics and techniques for undergraduate students and faculty from colleges and universities with significant numbers of minority students.
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Teach or participate in courses at minority institutions.
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Establish scientific collaborations between faculty at majority and minority institutions. Exchange graduate or undergraduate students.
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Send minority graduate students to local high schools to talk about their research and how they decided on a career in science.
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Increase retention of undergraduate minority students through special student study groups that are part of the undergraduate course curriculum.
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Bring in high school students and teachers for summer research experiences.
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Work with nearby military base education officers to introduce children of military families to science careers; have get-togethers for families with minority faculty and students; follow-up as children go on to college.
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Work with local and national industries, which could provide support, internships, and employment opportunities.
Retention Activities
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Design a curriculum that aids the transition from undergraduate to graduate school (e.g., reduced courseloads in the first year; basic courses in chemistry, math, and cellular/molecular biology).
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Use a pre-entrance summer semester to assist students who may need additional coursework or lab experience.
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Establish minority student support groups to assist in retention.
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Assign to entering minority students an interim faculty advisor who is supportive of and sensitive to issues surrounding minority students.
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Ensure close and careful mentoring by faculty advisor and possibly other faculty members.
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Provide a directory of minority graduate students at the university to facilitate networking.
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Connect students early on to the organizations of minority scientists in the field of study.
Information Sources for Minority Candidates
Lists of schools may be obtained from the MBRS and MARC programs of NIGMS, the United Negro College Fund, the National Science Foundation, and other sources.
In addition, most professional societies have Web pages related to minority recruitment activities.
For questions, comments, or suggestions, please contact Dr. Shawn Drew, Chair, NIGMS Committee on Minority Recruitment, at 301-594-3900.
