# Plains Bridges to the Baccalaureate: Diversifying West Texas Scientists

> **NIH NIH R25** · TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $246,944

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
 With the growing population of underrepresented minorities in the United States and the need to train
approximately 1 million more students in STEM for the US to remain competitive, research and education training
programs in STEM aimed at students from underrepresented groups are needed. To aid in addressing this issue,
Texas Tech University (TTU) and South Plains College (SPC) will partner together to continue coordinating the
Plains Bridges to the Baccalaureate (PBB) program at TTU for underrepresented students (Hispanic Americans,
African Americans, and American Indian). The long-term goal of the partnering institutions is to ultimately
increase the number of students from underrepresented groups in the biomedical and behavioral sciences. Our
objective in this proposal is to increase the number of underrepresented students that persist in the
biomedical/behavioral sciences and increase the number of students who transfer to a four-year university. We
will continue a comprehensive multi-faceted program to help underrepresented students from SPC interested in
the sciences from SPC to explore their interest, ultimately make a smooth and successful transition to TTU, and
graduate with a B.S. or B.A. in the biomedical or behavioral sciences. The PBB program will be formally
evaluated and assessed to continually improve the program and ensure that program workshops, seminars, and
activities are benefiting the PBB participants. Our program will focus on three components: 1) tools to become a
successful scientist, 2) tools to succeed in higher education and beyond the baccalaureate, and 3) increasing
awareness of the need for diversity in the biomedical and behavioral sciences. Each component will have
workshops, seminars, and/or activities to help the PBB participants to achieve success in the respective areas. For
example, participants will participate in the Mentor Tech program at TTU which offers several workshops and
seminars focused on tools to succeed in college such as time management and study strategies seminars. In
addition, fellows will participate in undergraduate research with faculty at TTU which will invoke their curiosity
about science and make them more competitive for graduate school. Each cohort of 12 students will be in the
PBB program for 1 ½ years before transferring to TTU to complete a bachelor’s degree in a biomedical related
field. After five years of funding, the PBB program will have supported 48 students (four cohorts of 12 students)
with three cohorts having transitioned to TTU and potentially all of cohort #9 having received their B.S. degrees.
Therefore, the establishment of the PBB program at TTU will result in an increase of the number of
underrepresented scientists in the biomedical sciences which is in-line with the missions of the National Institute
of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS).

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10226943
- **Project number:** 5R25GM083730-13
- **Recipient organization:** TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Laci Alexander
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $246,944
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2008-08-01 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10226943

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10226943, Plains Bridges to the Baccalaureate: Diversifying West Texas Scientists (5R25GM083730-13). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10226943. Licensed CC0.

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