Collaborating to create a research training program for underrepresented students: insights and strategies for developing and sustaining a multi-institutional consortium.
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| Title: | Collaborating to create a research training program for underrepresented students: insights and strategies for developing and sustaining a multi-institutional consortium. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Gray, MacKenzie J.1 (AUTHOR), Shifrer, Dara2 (AUTHOR), Wolf, De'Sha S.3 (AUTHOR), Ainsworth, Olivia M.1 (AUTHOR), Fama, Rosemary A.1 (AUTHOR), Anitori, Roberto P.4 (AUTHOR), Blackwell, Ernest5 (AUTHOR), Burke, Tracey K.6 (AUTHOR), Crespo, Carlos J.7 (AUTHOR), Helsham, Derek8 (AUTHOR), Kibota, Travis4 (AUTHOR), Leavitt, Alissa9 (AUTHOR), Solomon, Beylul10 (AUTHOR), Keller, Thomas E.11 (AUTHOR) kellert@pdx.edu |
| Source: | Frontiers in Education. 2026, p1-18. 18p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Consortia, *Educational programs, *Minority students, *Educational cooperation, *Educational equalization, Business partnerships |
| Company/Entity: | Portland State University , National Institutes of Health (U.S.) |
| Abstract: | Introduction: In 2014, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) invested in the Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) initiative to enhance diversity in the biomedical research workforce. As one of ten grantees nationwide, the BUILD EXITO project at Portland State University established an institutionally and geographically diverse consortium including local community colleges, a research-intensive medical institution, and universities and community colleges around the Pacific Rim. The goal of this collaboration was to support comprehensive research training for undergraduates from backgrounds historically underrepresented in the biomedical workforce. This manuscript aims to provide insights into creating and sustaining a large-scale multi-institutional consortium. Methods: Using a collaborative and reflective approach, this study presents a collective account of developing and sustaining a decade-long equity-focused partnership. The authors, all deeply involved in the partnership, participated in a series of semi-structured conversations designed to elicit strategies and lessons learned for building and sustaining multi-institutional collaborations. Results: Three main themes arose from the reflections on core strategies for creating and maintaining the partnership: 1) having a robust framework for diverse, equitable, and inclusive partnership, 2) equitable, flexible opportunities for goal setting and program implementation, and 3) planning for sustainability from the beginning. Obstacles faced throughout the decade-long partnership include the retention of all partners and the tension between institutional buy-in and the pursuit of external funding. Finally, the Partners defined two lessons learned from the EXITO experience: 1) the importance of a critical mass of stakeholders, and 2) the need to expand institutional leadership teams for partner sustainability. Discussion: While working across institutional boundaries may present challenges, multi-institutional partnerships allow for a broader reach to diverse student populations and create meaningful access to opportunities that may not otherwise exist. The EXITO infrastructure serves as a model for developing and sustaining partnerships for equity-focused student programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Frontiers in Education is the property of Frontiers Media S.A. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 193011358 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Collaborating to create a research training program for underrepresented students: insights and strategies for developing and sustaining a multi-institutional consortium. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gray%2C+MacKenzie+J%2E%22">Gray, MacKenzie J.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shifrer%2C+Dara%22">Shifrer, Dara</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wolf%2C+De'Sha+S%2E%22">Wolf, De'Sha S.</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ainsworth%2C+Olivia+M%2E%22">Ainsworth, Olivia M.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fama%2C+Rosemary+A%2E%22">Fama, Rosemary A.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Anitori%2C+Roberto+P%2E%22">Anitori, Roberto P.</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Blackwell%2C+Ernest%22">Blackwell, Ernest</searchLink><relatesTo>5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Burke%2C+Tracey+K%2E%22">Burke, Tracey K.</searchLink><relatesTo>6</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Crespo%2C+Carlos+J%2E%22">Crespo, Carlos J.</searchLink><relatesTo>7</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Helsham%2C+Derek%22">Helsham, Derek</searchLink><relatesTo>8</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kibota%2C+Travis%22">Kibota, Travis</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Leavitt%2C+Alissa%22">Leavitt, Alissa</searchLink><relatesTo>9</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Solomon%2C+Beylul%22">Solomon, Beylul</searchLink><relatesTo>10</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Keller%2C+Thomas+E%2E%22">Keller, Thomas E.</searchLink><relatesTo>11</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> kellert@pdx.edu</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Frontiers+in+Education%22">Frontiers in Education</searchLink>. 2026, p1-18. 18p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Consortia%22">Consortia</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+programs%22">Educational programs</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Minority+students%22">Minority students</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+cooperation%22">Educational cooperation</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+equalization%22">Educational equalization</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Business+partnerships%22">Business partnerships</searchLink> – Name: SubjectCompany Label: Company/Entity Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Portland+State+University%22">Portland State University</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22National+Institutes+of+Health+%28U%2ES%2E%29%22">National Institutes of Health (U.S.)</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Introduction: In 2014, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) invested in the Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) initiative to enhance diversity in the biomedical research workforce. As one of ten grantees nationwide, the BUILD EXITO project at Portland State University established an institutionally and geographically diverse consortium including local community colleges, a research-intensive medical institution, and universities and community colleges around the Pacific Rim. The goal of this collaboration was to support comprehensive research training for undergraduates from backgrounds historically underrepresented in the biomedical workforce. This manuscript aims to provide insights into creating and sustaining a large-scale multi-institutional consortium. Methods: Using a collaborative and reflective approach, this study presents a collective account of developing and sustaining a decade-long equity-focused partnership. The authors, all deeply involved in the partnership, participated in a series of semi-structured conversations designed to elicit strategies and lessons learned for building and sustaining multi-institutional collaborations. Results: Three main themes arose from the reflections on core strategies for creating and maintaining the partnership: 1) having a robust framework for diverse, equitable, and inclusive partnership, 2) equitable, flexible opportunities for goal setting and program implementation, and 3) planning for sustainability from the beginning. Obstacles faced throughout the decade-long partnership include the retention of all partners and the tension between institutional buy-in and the pursuit of external funding. Finally, the Partners defined two lessons learned from the EXITO experience: 1) the importance of a critical mass of stakeholders, and 2) the need to expand institutional leadership teams for partner sustainability. Discussion: While working across institutional boundaries may present challenges, multi-institutional partnerships allow for a broader reach to diverse student populations and create meaningful access to opportunities that may not otherwise exist. The EXITO infrastructure serves as a model for developing and sustaining partnerships for equity-focused student programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Frontiers in Education is the property of Frontiers Media S.A. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.3389/feduc.2026.1750159 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 18 StartPage: 1 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Consortia Type: general – SubjectFull: Educational programs Type: general – SubjectFull: Minority students Type: general – SubjectFull: Educational cooperation Type: general – SubjectFull: Educational equalization Type: general – SubjectFull: Business partnerships Type: general – SubjectFull: Portland State University Type: general – SubjectFull: National Institutes of Health (U.S.) Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Collaborating to create a research training program for underrepresented students: insights and strategies for developing and sustaining a multi-institutional consortium. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Gray, MacKenzie J. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Shifrer, Dara – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Wolf, De'Sha S. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Ainsworth, Olivia M. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Fama, Rosemary A. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Anitori, Roberto P. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Blackwell, Ernest – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Burke, Tracey K. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Crespo, Carlos J. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Helsham, Derek – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Kibota, Travis – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Leavitt, Alissa – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Solomon, Beylul – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Keller, Thomas E. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 15 M: 04 Text: 2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 2504284X Titles: – TitleFull: Frontiers in Education Type: main |
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