NCLSAMP Bridge to The Doctorate Fellowship Program

Graduate studies are often funded by university supported teaching assistantships, research assistantships, fellowships and federal student aid programs. Traditionally, funding for master?s level graduate education has been limited, and students often have to fund their own education; making a full-time commitment to academics and research cost prohibitive. North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NCA&T), a historically black college and land-grant university, is one of four Ph.D. granting institutions within the NCLSAMP Alliance, and leads the University of North Carolina (UNC) System in the production of STEM degrees (Evans, 2012). The overall goal of the BD Fellowship Program at NCA&T is to increase the number of science and engineering majors who pursue PhDs in STEM fields. Specific objectives are to: 1) Recruit a cadre of STEM graduate students who have the potential for academic success, and the desire to pursue a STEM PhD.; 2) Provide academic development workshops, financial support, and experiences to promote the retention of participants; and 3) Assist students in their transition to graduate studies and ultimately the PhD.

Utilizing strategic initiatives aligned with the North Carolina A&T Strategic Plan, ?Preeminence 2020?, the Bridge to the Doctorate Fellowship Program at NCA&T will produce 12 highly competitive graduate students who have experience in the interdisciplinary applications of science and mathematics in scholarship and research relevant to 21st century STEM workforce development.