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Binghamton University celebrates 20th year of Bridges to Baccalaureate program for underrepresented scholars

Program prepares undergraduates to pursue and earn baccalaureate degrees in the biomedical sciences.

Mark Tettey, a Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program scholar from Westchester Community College (right), works with chemistry professor Omowunmi Sadik and postdoc Francis Osonga at the Smart Energy Building. Mark Tettey, a Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program scholar from Westchester Community College (right), works with chemistry professor Omowunmi Sadik and postdoc Francis Osonga at the Smart Energy Building.
Mark Tettey, a Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program scholar from Westchester Community College (right), works with chemistry professor Omowunmi Sadik and postdoc Francis Osonga at the Smart Energy Building. Image Credit: Jonathan Cohen.
By John Brhel
June 21, 2018

This year marks 20 years that Binghamton University has directed the SUNY Upstate Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program, an NIH-funded program that was established to increase the number of underrepresented scholars pursuing and earning baccalaureate degrees in the biomedical sciences. Students accepted into this year’s program are from Monroe, Onondaga and Westchester community colleges.

Thirteen underrepresented scholars from these three community colleges are on campus this summer as part of a five-to-eight week summer research program. The scholars, who are participants in the SUNY Upstate Bridges to the Baccalaureate program, directed by professors Lisa Savage and Patricia Di Lorenzo, are paired with Binghamton University faculty mentors to conduct a variety of experiments and research projects.

The program will culminate with a poster session at 11 a.m. Friday, June 29, in Old Union Hall of the University Union, on the Binghamton University campus. The session will allow participants the opportunity to display their research accomplishments using text and graphics.

Bridges students receive a combination of mentoring, tutoring and financial support throughout the program, and engage in hands-on research. Throughout the academic year, co-coordinators at each of the community colleges work closely with Binghamton staff and faculty to build ties that will lead to student success there and later at a baccalaureate institution.

The program will follow those who return to their community college for another year of courses and Bridges will support their progress. When they are ready, Bridges will help them transfer to a four-year institution to complete their baccalaureate degree in the sciences.

Those students who are ready to transfer will be encouraged to apply for admission to a four-year institution this fall. The program guarantees Binghamton University admission to qualified Bridges students from the participating community colleges.

For more information on Binghamton’s program, visit https://www.binghamton.edu/bridges/.

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