3 - (SYM 6) Outcomes from a Psychology Undergraduate Mentorship Program (PUMP-UP) and a Research Lab (POSTSCRIPT) Aimed to Mentor Students from Typically Underrepresented Backgrounds

Abstract Body
We have a department-wide mentorship program: Psychology Undergraduate Mentorship for Underrepresented Populations (PUMP-UP). PUMP-UP seeks to increase diversity and inclusion in psychology-related disciplines by providing undergraduates from minoritized backgrounds access to resources/mentoring. Examples include assigning a graduate student mentor to mentor on applying for research positions, internships, graduate schools, and related jobs. To assess the effectiveness, mentees are asked to report demographics and rate how much confidence they have in doing certain behaviors (e.g., “taking well-organized notes during lectures”, “applying to graduate school”) on a scale of “quite a lot” to “very little”. Mentees also complete questionnaires on their perceived sense of belonging and experiences with their mentor (e.g., how frequently and in what format they met).
The POSTSCRIPT research lab aims to train students from underserved backgrounds to work toward reduction in care disparities for underserved youth stemming from child trauma exposure. Undergraduate and post-bachelor research assistants (RAs; n=22) have benefited since inception in 2018. Demographics: 81% cisgender female; 14% Black or African American, 14% Latine, 18% Asian, 50% white; 54% first generation students. The lab structure is set to facilitate trust and interdependence to build research skills and professional development toward career goals. Mentees participate in a weekly seminar covering professional development (e.g., project management, cover letters, personal statements). The goal is to allow students to receive tips and peer and mentor reviews before sending to prospective employers/schools. Of the 22 alumni (two have multiple degrees beyond their bachelor’s degree), six are pursuing doctoral programs: four in clinical psychology, one in school psychology, and one in neuroscience. Two alumni are pursuing medical school. Thirteen alumni have pursued master’s degrees: social work or counseling (n = 6), applied clinical and preclinical research coordination (n = 2), theology and ministry studies (n = 1), nursing (n = 2), speech language pathology (n = 1), and applied behavior analysis (n = 1). One alumnus each completed a nurse practitioner degree; another is a study monitor for industry research. Seven RA alumni pursued post-bachelor research coordinator positions prior to graduate school. Results of PUMP-UP and POSTSCRIPT lab outcomes will be presented with a discussion of lessons learned.