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Underserved Students On Central Coast Get Help Pursuing Science Careers

Photo by Alan Hancock College

A community college on the Central Coast is helping minority students pursue careers in science. 

Bridges to Baccalaureate at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria assists 29 underrepresented students who want to study biomedical or behavioral sciences.

It provided Jorge Del Pozo with a research internship to study proteins at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo last summer, which he says was an inspiring experience.

“Now, my new goal is to serve people in the medical field, treat people and try to save lives,” he said.

Project director Warren Gabaree says the program provides students with support so that they can go to a four-year college and pursue science fields.

“I mentor them, coach them. They present their research in a fall symposium. So, they get a lot of experience,” he said.

Bridges is funded by the National Institutes of Health Division of Minority Opportunities in Research.