# Expanding a Model Program Which Has Increased the Number of Underrepresented Students in Biomedical-RelevantGraduate Programs

> **NIH NIH T34** · UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA · 2022 · $85,936

## Abstract

SUMMARY:
The proposed renewal and expansion of the current UWF MARC Scholars Program seeks to
dramatically increase retention, academic performance, degree attainment, and graduate school
matriculation rates among underrepresented biomedical minority students at the University of
West Florida (UWF). The program is modeled after UWF’s Chemistry Scholars and current MARC
Scholars Programs, inclusion programs modeled after the Meyerhoff Scholars Program at UMBC.
These programs are designed to support high-potential underrepresented (UR) students who
start college with an interest in STEM. Five years after establishing Chem Scholars, the ethnically
UR Chemistry graduates have increased from an average 6% during 2009-2012 to an average 30%
during 2012-2017. The percentage of ethnically UR students pursuing biomedically
relevant PhD or MD-PhD degrees has increased from 0% during 2010-2012 to an
average 60% in 2012-2017. Perhaps more impressive is the average past 5-year percentage of
ethnically UR majors matriculating to PhD or MD/PhD programs exceeds the percentage of non-
UR by 11%. NIH-funded MARC Scholars expanded the model into Biology and Physics in 2014
solely for ethnically UR students. To date, 21 ethnically UR and 7 financially disadvantaged MARC
Scholars have matriculated through, 100% of MARC Scholars (20 of the 20 MARC Scholars)
graduated with a BS degree (Biology, Chemistry, and/or Physics), 85% (17 of the 20) of MARC
Scholar graduates have matriculated to PhD or MD-PhD programs and 8 Scholars are on track to
graduate. (These MARC results were updated from the 2018 competitive renewal submission)
The proposed expanded MARC Scholars seeks to further expand the current MARC Scholars
Program to also support financially disadvantaged UR students pursuing biomedical research
careers. The proposed expanded program will continue to encompass the four major components
of the model programs with several additions tailored specifically to UWF MARC Scholars. MARC
Scholars will provide the following: 1) academic and social integration via the a 2-year research
experience (on and off campus) and STEM Living Learning Community; 2) rigorous academic
preparation via Writing, Critical Thinking and Professional Development workshops and seminar
series tailored specifically for STEM and biomedical topics, a STEM Writing course, an RCR
Course, and research experience both at UWF and R-1 institutions; 3) a support system
implemented through MARC Scholars, “intrusive advising,” and regulated mentoring and
advising for both academic coursework, research, and MARC Scholars; and 4) preparation for
MARC Scholars, matriculation to graduate school, and ultimately to a research career through
individual development plans, application materials preparation, and resume building
workshops. These resources are currently available only through NIH-funding of MARC Scholars
specifically for high-achieving UR junior and senior students pursuing biomedical degrees at
UWF and ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10590131
- **Project number:** 3T34GM110517-09S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA
- **Principal Investigator:** Peter J. Cavnar
- **Activity code:** T34 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $85,936
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2014-06-01 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10590131

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10590131, Expanding a Model Program Which Has Increased the Number of Underrepresented Students in Biomedical-RelevantGraduate Programs (3T34GM110517-09S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-30 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10590131. Licensed CC0.

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