Effectiveness of a Network Open House Model to Recruit Trainees to Post-Baccalaureate STEM Programs.

Area of Science:

• STEM Education
• Graduate School Preparation
• Research Training

Background:

• Post-baccalaureate (post-bac) programs are crucial for enhancing science training and STEM career pathways.
• Many post-bac programs aim to increase research exposure for underrepresented minorities (URMs) in STEM.
• Recruiting students to these vital programs is challenging due to a lack of awareness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of an Open House event in raising awareness and interest in post-bac programs.
• To assess the impact of the event on participants' understanding of post-bac opportunities and career support.
• To gauge the likelihood of attendees applying to post-bac programs after the event.

Main Methods:

• An in-person, 2-day Open House event was hosted at a Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) and a Research-Intensive (R1) institution.
• Students were recruited from partnering Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs).
• Participants completed pre- and post-surveys to assess knowledge and intent; mentor and faculty feedback was also collected.

Main Results:

• Attendees, predominantly URMs in STEM, reported a significantly improved understanding of post-bac programs and their career benefits.
• Event participation increased the likelihood of students applying to available post-bac programs.
• Mentors and MSI faculty expressed strong support for future recruitment events.

Conclusions:

• Collaborative, in-person Open House events are effective strategies for increasing awareness and participation in post-bac training programs.
• These events are particularly impactful for underrepresented student populations in STEM.
• Partnerships between institutions are key to successful recruitment and outreach initiatives.