P14-2 Sat Jan 2 Increasing diversity through community college student engagement: A student run organization model Robin, AN*; Lessig, E; Frausto, C; University of California, Los Angeles ; University of Texas at Austin ; University of California, Los Angeles robina@ucla.edu http://www.communitycollegefieldbiologyalliance.weebly.com/
Just under half of all undergraduate students in the United States are enrolled in community college. Yet, the rate at which students that start college at 2-year institutions matriculate into STEM-related graduate programs is low. Maintained academic persistence and lack of equal opportunity to engage with research contribute to this disparity. Further, the diversity of student bodies on community college campuses exceeds that of most four-year institutions. Therefore, to increase diversity in STEM it is critical to include community college students. The Community College Field Biology Alliance is a student-run organization that provides community college students with the opportunity to conduct field research. We also demystify the graduate school admissions process and make the pursuit of a STEM career a tangible reality for our students. Over the 2 past years, we have worked with 18 students to design, enact, and present original research projects. The success of our program is a demonstration that concerted efforts to increase diversity and persistence in STEM can be implemented by individuals at all levels of academia.
