ASCEND Scholars

Overview

The ASCEND Scholars program is designed to prepare students for the important transition from undergraduate- to graduate-level training in health research, requiring the Scholars to incorporate higher-order thinking in addition to learning the basic skills and concepts from their undergraduate courses. The ASCEND Scholars' curriculum is designed to increase their mathematical skills, expose them to the latest technologies in the sciences, and develop their critical thinking and communication skills. External research experiences are designed to give Scholars the skills and experience needed for successful transition into a research-intensive graduate school program in the biomedical, behavioral, or social sciences.

Selection of ASCEND Scholars

Students selected as ASCEND Scholars must meet the following criteria:

• Rising juniors with at least 50 credits.
• Have and maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (based on a 4.0 scale) prior to and during their tenure with the program.
• Be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
• Demonstrate a strong interest in biomedical, behavioral/social science research and a strong interest in improving the health of their communities and the country.
• Demonstrate a commitment to service (at MSU and in the community).
• Be members of or join the ASCEND Student Research Center (SRC), and demonstrate substantial engagement in SRC activities.
• Enrollment in SCIE 200 and/or research experience preferred (e.g., summer internship).
• Intend to attend graduate school in a biomedical, behavioral/social science discipline, and plan to pursue a career in health-relevant research.