Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program

The Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program provides students attending Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College and Lake Superior College with a fellowship to a training program in biomedical research. The program provides educational support and training in laboratory-based research. The program is two years and trainees receive a stipend, paid tuition, and paid fees. Trainees are also encouraged to present their research at a national science meeting, with all travel costs covered by the program. Additionally, each student receives a research supply budget.

The Bridges Program aims to increase the number of community college students entering the biomedical science field who obtain a biomedical science-related baccalaureate degree. These degrees include the following: biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, psychology, chemical engineering, and computer science. The program includes skills development and training to facilitate a seamless transfer from the community college to the University. Once students have entered the program, they will participate in research academies, which stress the development of professional skills such as communication, critical thinking, and quantitative analysis. The research training develops skills of leadership, observation and data collection, and how to use the scientific method. Trainees will then progress into faculty-directed research projects to give them exposure to the academic research environment.

The Bridges Program is a partnership between Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, Lake Superior College, and the University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus. The program is supported by a grant from the National Institute of Health-National Institute of General Medical Sciences Research (GM137862).

Benefits

  • Stipend

  • Tuition & fees 

  • Travel to scientific meetings

  • Laboratory supplies for faculty-directed research 

  • Mentoring by science faculty and program staff

  • Career development workshops

  • Participation in biomedical research

  • Attendance to a national research conference in Biomedical Sciences

Requirements

  • Must be enrolled full-time at FDLTCC or LSC, enrolled in science and/or math courses, and actively pursuing an AA/AS degree, with a minimum of a 2.5 GPA or higher.
  • Must be a U.S. citizen or non-citizen national or permanent resident. Permanent residents must have a registration card I-551.
  • Students should be from an underrepresented group. The definition of an underrepresented group is defined by NIH/NIGMS here.

Selection Criteria

All students interested in the program must complete and submit the following:

  • Application – which includes uploads of your personal statement and unofficial transcript(s) 

  • A Reference form will be sent to individuals with contact information supplied by you on the application form. We will then send the reference forms to the individuals for them to fill out and submit.

Mary Cannedy-Clarke

SMed Room 327
1035 University Drive
University of Minnesota Duluth
Duluth, MN 55812
[email protected]
218-726-7970 Office