The Howard-UTEP/AGEP Alliance: Unique and Irreplaceable Orlando L. Taylor Vice Provost for Research Dean, Graduate School Howard University Washington, DC

Why Unique and Irreplaceable UNIQUE: The ONLY AGEP Alliance between TWO Minority Serving Institutions serving as the LEAD institutions. IRREPLACEABLE: Two of the nation’s largest producers of Minority PhD’s in STEM.

Howard University: First Cohort of MGE/AGEP Institutions (1997) Location: Washington, DC Carnegie Classification: Research/High Research Activity Minority Classification: Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Enrollment, 12,000—40% Graduate/Professional Nations largest producer of African American PhDs AND Baccalaureate origins of African American PhDs

University of Texas-El Paso (UTEP): Joined AGEP in 2003 Location: El Paso, TX Carnegie Classification: Research/High Research Activity Minority Classification: Hispanic Serving Institution (MSI) Enrollment: 20,000—72% Hispanic; 17% graduate and professional

I.Bouchet Assistantships: Sustaining the Effort Named for Edward Bouchet—First African American to receive a PhD in the United States—Yale, 1876, Physics. 25 new, university-funded, graduate assistantships for the nation’s best and brightest URMs to pursue PhDs at Howard in STEM. All recipients must participate in Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) program & AGEP activities.

II. Howard AGEP Has Joined the CIRTL Network NSF-funded Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL) housed at the University of Wisconsin- Madison. The CIRTL Network: Colorado, Howard, Michigan State, Penn State, Texas A & M, Wisconsin and Vanderbilt. CIRTL Mission : To enhance the professional development of STEM graduate students and develop a future professoriate committed to advancing effective teaching practices.

What Does CIRTL Provide? Exposure to integrating research and teaching. Building learning communities of STEM faculty and graduate students. New, electronically-delivered and live courses for STEM graduate students throughout the Network. –Effective Teaching with Technology –Diversity in the College Classroom –Teaching and Learning Science in the College Classroom

Course on Effective Teaching with Technology Semester I: students exposed to advanced, research- based teaching technologies currently used by faculty to enhance learning. –Students design individual projects to evaluate the effectiveness of a technology utilized by a faculty member. –Students across the network present the result of their projects to their classmates and the CIRTL community via the web. –Projects and data on student learning are evaluated and discussed. Semester II: students serve as team leaders in classes and apply the skills and lessons learned in Part I.

III. Preparing Future Faculty Pre-Faculty Internships Provides advanced doctoral students, including AGEP students, with semester or year-long experiences in faculty roles and responsibilities at different institutional types MOUs with various institutions (10+ currently) to provide stipends to students (Howard pays tuition), along with teaching experiences and research mentoring. Challenges include involving bench science STEM students in internships Institutionalized with its own revenue stream via partner institutions and Graduate School budget.

IV. Annual PFF Institutes Held in Washington, DC or El Paso, TX. (June 10-13, 2009). Open to STEM Students in all AGEP Alliances; About 60 students per year; $350 registration fee. A three-day “Boot Camp” on Faculty Roles and Responsibilities and the Academic Job Search. Features local and nationally prominent speakers. Sample Topics: –Finding the "Right" Faculty Position, Negotiating the Best Start-Up Package and 'Sealing the Deal’ –Balancing Work and Family –Researching and Writing Effective Grant Proposals –New Pedagogies for Enhancing Learning –Assessing Student Learning Outcomes Contact:

V. Annual Postdoctoral Institutes Held in Washington, DC or El Paso, TX. Open to STEM Students at dissertation level in all Alliances; about 50 annually; $350 registration fee. A three-day Intensive “Boot Camp” on identifying, funding and crafting a postdoc to fit career goals and interests. Features local and nationally prominent speakers Sample Topics –Understanding Different Types of Postdocs –Strategies for Finding the Right Postdoc –Balancing Research, Grant Writing & Teaching –Securing Your Own Postdoctoral Funding –Life After the Postdoc

VI. Creation of Graduate School Office of Retention and Mentoring Led by an Assistant Dean whose position was originally a cost share for AGEP grant Focuses on tracking, mentoring, and advising students to ensure retention. Provides Pre-professional development. Recently purchased Hobsons “Retain” software to facilitate academic tracking and monitoring each semester and at crucial academic junctures, i.e., 1 st year, comprehensive exams, candidacy, dissertation progress, etc. Institutionalized within university budget.