UC Merced Magazine | Volume XIX, Issue VII

Breaking Barriers AND Building Success Strengthening the Ph.D. Pipeline

Last year’s cohort of the Competitive Edge Summer Bridge Program shows how many incoming graduate students want to take advantage of these kinds of offerings. The number of underrepresented participants has been growing for the past few years.

By Brenda Ortiz e Ph.D. journey presents unique challenges, especially for first-generation students and those from historically underrepresented groups (URGs), who lack the support network and guidance their peers might have. e graduate student body at UC Merced is 19% Hispanic and 45% first-generation — the highest reported in the UC system. is distinctive position o ers the campus unique insights into doctoral student success. “ is rich academic network enables us to develop and refine evidence-based support systems that advance doctoral completion rates while promoting overall excellence,” Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Education Hrant Hratchian said. “Our experiences and outcomes contribute to the wider conversation about doctoral education, particularly as universities nationwide seek to broaden participation in advanced-degree programs.” At UC Merced, the Graduate Division is transforming this journey through two innovative initiatives that demonstrate remarkable success in supporting student achievement.T he Competitive Edge Summer Bridge (CESB) program has consistently shown that early intervention and community

building are crucial determinants of academic success. Data reveals that CESB participants complete their doctoral degrees at rates higher than their peers while strengthening the research community. “T his comprehensive approach, Competitive Edge Summer Bridge coupled with our GradEXCEL Peer Mentoring program, creates a supportive environment that empowers students to thrive from their first day on campus through dissertation defense,” Associate Graduate Dean and Professor e CESB program began in 2016 to enable selected incoming graduate students to begin their training the summer before the start of their first semester. Between 2016 and 2022, 110 students total enrolled in the program and participated in research and professional development activities. Given the program’s success in student retention and Ph.D. completion, Hratchian opened CESB to all incoming domestic graduate students starting in 2023. Its enrollment continues to rise, with 75 additional participants between then and now. Sayantani Ghosh said. Bridging the Gap

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