The inaugural consortium of ReBUILD Detroit students met as a group for the first time on July 10 in the Wayne State School of Medicine’s Margherio Family Conference Center to participate in team/community building activities and learn more about careers in biomedical fields.
Students had the opportunity to meet and network with a variety of faculty from WSU’s Graduate School, College of Engineering, School of Medicine, and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Dr. Dennis Parker, Jr., associate professor in WSU’s Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and clinical specialist in the department of neuroscience at Detroit Receiving Hospital, also engaged the students in an interactive presentation on careers in pharmacy.
“The students are eager, bright and ready for whatever is thrown at them,” said Leah Robinson (pictured, standing), associate director of data management for ReBUILD Detroit. “On the top of their list of things to do is meeting BUILD (Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity) Scholars from other schools and career exploration through job shadowing and hands-on activities.”
Hands-on, problem-based activities require students to think like scientists and prepare them for conducting lab research, Robinson said. Moreover, BUILD scholars will develop a better appreciation for the collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of science and biomedical research, along with a sense of community among their peers.
ReBUILD is a partnership between Wayne State, the University of Detroit Mercy, Marygrove College and Wayne County Community College Detroit District. It is supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health as part of its national BUILD program.
Approximately 60 students are participating in the summer enrichment activities on their respective campuses with the expectation that they will continue as freshmen in the fall.
“What has resulted is a great partnership,” Robinson said. “A community college, a liberal arts college, a top-tier regional university and a research-intensive university located in the city of Detroit are all working together to provide innovation and academic excellence in training the next generation of doctors, researchers and scientists.”
All consortium BUILD scholars participate in summer enrichment programs on their respective campuses and interact with each other in consortium-wide activities every Friday in July. The purpose is to expose students to college expectations in statistics, math, chemistry, physics and biology; foster critical thinking and problem solving skills; and develop team dynamics.
As ReBUILD Detroit’s research partner, Wayne State provides participating students, known as BUILD scholars, with hands-on mentored research training, guided career development, and access to a network of committed faculty mentors and scientists. The nationwide BUILD program is committed to ensuring that students from all backgrounds receive support during their educational experience and as they pursue biomedical careers.
“By the end of the summer program,” Robinson said, “BUILD scholars are expected to have increased confidence in their academic abilities, enhanced interests in biomedical research, and the ability to successfully navigate their campus resources and services.”