# EXITO: Enhancing Cross-disciplinary Infrastructure and Training at Oregon

> **NIH NIH RL5** · PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $1,838,135

## Abstract

In phase I of the BUILD initiative, we successfully developed and delivered a three-year multicomponent
research training program for undergraduates from traditionally underrepresented
backgrounds aspiring to careers in biomedical science. Our training model, Enhancing Cross-
Disciplinary Infrastructure and Training at Oregon (EXITO), was a collaboration among eleven
partner institutions across four states (OR, WA, AK, HI) and three Pacific Island territories
(American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands). In phase II, EXITO 2.0, we propose to
enhance EXITO’s successes, maintaining our collaboration with the nine of the eleven original
institutions to achieve the Hallmarks of Success outlined by the BUILD Consortium. Our specific
aims are guided by four principles: Sustainability, Enhancement, Evaluation, and Dissemination.
We will 1)Sustain essential components of EXITO at primary and partner institutions beyond
the NIH funding period, by embedding and aligning them with ongoing and new institutional
structures, programs, and services. We will maintain and improve upon our training program
through creation of an Office of Undergraduate Research, an innovative tuition benefit package
for low-income students, multi-tiered mentoring, further institutionalizing our novel curriculum,
and institutionalizing summer research experiences. Our now-robust partnership with our
research-intensive partner, OHSU, has been and will be critical to sustaining our successful
model. 2) Enhance established EXITO research training and faculty development interventions
through continued refinement and adaptation based on evaluation data and lessons learned.
We will maintain and sustain our highly successful pilot project program and work with our
primary institution administration at Portland State University, to recruit, hire, and retain diverse
faculty who can mentor and nurture students from underrepresented backgrounds. 3) Evaluate
all aspects of EXITO program to inform enhancement, sustainability, and dissemination efforts.
Last, we will 4) Disseminate the EXITO model across our large and diverse partner network to
support dissemination and replication of effective strategies at non-BUILD institutions. We will
provide materials, training, and technical support to other institutions to facilitate implementation
of EXITO model or components and investigate institutional factors and resources associated
with implementation fidelity and effectiveness to enable successful replication. By evaluating,
enhancing, and making sustainable our successful research pathway for students, for faculty,
for Portland State University and our partner institutions, EXITO 2.0 will help address a critical
evidence gap in how to build and retain a diverse biomedical workforce.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9979944
- **Project number:** 5RL5GM118963-07
- **Recipient organization:** PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Carlos J. Crespo
- **Activity code:** RL5 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $1,838,135
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2014-09-26 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9979944

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9979944, EXITO: Enhancing Cross-disciplinary Infrastructure and Training at Oregon (5RL5GM118963-07). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9979944. Licensed CC0.

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