NIH Awards UTSA $2.4 Million to Groom Science Students for Research Careers

By Christi Fish
Associate Director of Media Relations

(July 11, 2011)--Over the next five years, The University of Texas at San Antonio is slated to receive $2.4 million in funding from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences to continue its MARC research training program, which supports underrepresented and disadvantaged UTSA undergraduates majoring in biology, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, statistics, physics or engineering. UTSA will use the funding to partially support 12 students each year through 2016.

The MARC program, also known as Minority Access to Research Careers Undergraduate Student Training for Academic Research or MARC-U*STAR, is an honors program that allows underrepresented and disadvantaged students to thoroughly prepare for admission into competitive graduate science programs. UTSA MARC students receive research and professional skills training, $2,080 per semester toward tuition, a $931 monthly stipend and funding to travel to two conferences. In addition, the program provides the undergraduates with leadership training, mentoring and other skills critical to building a successful career as a research scientist.

UTSA has offered the MARC program for 31 years. During that time, the program has supported 231 students with more than $10.1 million in support from the National Institutes of Health. Some of the program's alums have completed doctoral research programs and now teach at the university level. Others have pursued health sciences training and earned their professional degrees.

"In recent years, most of our MARC students have enrolled in graduate programs," said Edwin Barea-Rodriguez, MARC director and chair of the UTSA Department of Biology. "During that same time frame, all of the students who participated in the MARC program and applied to graduate school were admitted. Our recent graduates are now at Stanford, Harvard, the University of Michigan, the University of Iowa and the University of Washington, Seattle."

The MARC program is one of a dozen training programs housed in UTSA's Center for Research and Training in the Sciences, a center within the UTSA College of Sciences.

To learn more about MARC, visit their website.

Events

Friday, May 3, 11:30 a.m.

McNair Scholars' Spring Celebration

This event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.

North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main Campus

Wednesday, May 15, 6:00 p.m.

Doctoral Conferral Ceremony

At this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.

Arts Building Recital Hall, Main Campus

Thursday, May 16, 3:00 p.m.

Roadrunner Walk

Roadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.

Student Union Paseo, Main Campus

Friday, May 17, 10:00 a.m.

Commencement: Ceremony One

Celebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.

Alamodome, 100 Montana St.

Friday, May 17, 4:30 p.m.

Commencement: Ceremony Two

Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.

Alamodome, 100 Montana St.

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Spotlight

UTSA’s Mission

The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.

UTSA’s Vision

To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.

UTSA’s Core Values

We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.

UTSA’S Destinations

UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .

Our Commitment to Inclusivity

The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.