Year 3
In the past year, we have recruited with our community college partners, MiraCosta College and San Diego Miramar College, a cohort of diverse student interns that we have supported here at California State University San Marcos. These students performed stem cell research at local institutions, including UCSD, as well as biotechnology companies, such as Thermofisher. The students also engaged in community outreach at High Tech Middle North County and patient advocacy activities with American for Cures. This was part of a holistic program to train the next generation of stem cell scientists.
The composition of the 10th cohort reflects the diversity of our student population, including our partnering campuses, MiraCosta and San Diego Miramar Colleges. Of the 11 interns, 6 of them are women, 2 Asian and Pacific Islander, 1 African American/Black, 3 Caucasian, 4 Latino and 1 Decline to State. Fifty-five percent are first generation college students and range in age from 20-38. We therefore believe that the strategic partnering with the community college campuses, our own unique campus compositions, and our location in Southern California has allowed us to successfully recruit and support a diverse cohort of trainees.