The National Institutes of Health has funded a Bridges to the Future Program at New Mexico State University at Las Cruces since October of 1992.  The program is at New Mexico State University is entitled: Bridges to American Indian Students in Community Colleges.  The program is currently funded through September of 2000 at $172,800 per year.  This program has the goal to develop mechanisms that will introduce American Indian students at six community colleges in New Mexico and Arizona to B.S. degree carreer opportunities in the biomedical sciences.  Participating community colleges include Dine' College (formerly Navajo Community College) at Shiprock, NM, New Mexico State University at Grants, New Mexico State University at Alamogordo, Dine' College (formerly Navajo Community College) at Tsaile, AZ, Northern New Mexico Community College in Espanola, NM, Dona Ana Branch Community College at Las Cruces, NM, and Murray State College in Tishomingo, OK.  Formal programmatic activities were first initiated in January 1993 and have continued thereafter.

Features of the program have included the following activities: twenty faculty members from the molecular bioscience disciplines at NMSU provide biweekly seminars/lectures/workshops at each community college campus as a means to introduce American Indian students to biomedically-related research programs being conducted at NMSU.  This seminar series also serves to introduce students to active research-oriented faculty who are prospective mentors for students.  Students who are interested in a full time summer research position visit the NMSU main campus during the academic year for a two-day orientation program in early March.  This visit introduces students to potential faculty research mentors, the campus environs, research facilities, campus American Indian support groups, actual classroom and laboratory experience, and academic advisement mechanisms.  Fifteen to eighteen students are eventually selected from these audiences to participate in summer research projects on the campus of NMSU during the summer months.  These fulltime summer research positions pay $1,250 per month plus housing costs while at the Las Cruces campus for nine weeks (through July 31st).  Students are also given the opportunity to attend and present their research results to a science symposium of some type, either the annual meeting of AISES, SACNAS, or MBRS/MARC Programs.  When these students transfer to B.S. Degree programs that are allied to the biomedical field at NMSU (Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Biology, Microbiology, Physics, Chemistry, Plant Sciences), they are immediately assimilated into active, ongoing, successful research-oriented programs that can guide them to completion of a B.S. Degree.  Students also receive advisement for progression into postbaccalaureate graduate or professional schools.

One-hundred two American Indian students participated in summer research projects at NMSU during the summers of 1993-1999.  These students included representatives from the Choctaw, Cherokee, Navajo, Zuni, Mescalero Apache, Laguna, Isleta and San Juan Tribes.  Fifty-eight percent of these students have subsequently matriculated to B.S. programs at major universities.

Who should consider participating in the Bridges Program?

Any American Indian student who is currently enrolled in a community college and who has an interest in pursuing a career in some area of the biomedical sciences (biochemistry, molecular biology, plant sciences, chemistry, biology, physics, computer science, microbiology, chemical engineering) is invited to apply for participation in the summer research program.  Preferably, applicants should have completed at least one course in biology or chemisty and algebra at the community college level.

Where can more information be obtained?

Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact the Bridges Program office on the campus of New Mexico State University in Las Cruces.  This can be done by placing a collect telephone call to area code (505)-646-2424 and ask to speak to Mr. William Alex Montoya.  State your interest in the program and leave your telephone number and a mailing address with Mr. Montoya.  Mr. Montoya or Dr. Glenn Kuehn will contact you as soon as possible thereafter.

Other information that can help you contact the Bridges Program at NMSU:

The following program coordinators and office staff can help you learn more about the Bridges Program.  Feel free to contact anyone of them anytime by mail, email or by placing a collect telephone call to: