R25GM154373

New American Youth on the Rise - Project Summary

New American Youth on the Rise (NAYR) is a burgeoning mentorship and enrichment program for middle and high school girls from “New American” immigrant groups in Chittenden County (VT). NAYR aims to foster health equity for local immigrant communities by 1) developing a pathway to college careers in health sciences thereby enhancing representation in the healthcare workforce, and 2) increasing trust between the academic health center and local community by demonstrating investment in the community.

Using the novel concept of “cocooning,” NAYR surrounds immigrant and 1st-generation American girls with home, school, and individual support necessary to succeed in middle and high school and ultimately transition into health sciences undergraduate degree programs. NAYR runs during the academic year (weekly + intensives) and the summer months.

NAYR activities include: courses for skills development, research experiences, mentoring activities, and outreach. NAYR works from an interprofessional lens to guide participants into the “best fit” health science professions. With the collaboration between the University of Vermont’s (UVM) Larner College of Medicine (LCOM), College of Nursing and Health Sciences (CNHS), and College of Education and Social Services (CESS), many college paths are possible.

Moreover, NAYR students are mentored by professional women in health sciences (physicians, researchers, nursing and health science leaders) who embody the possibilities and opportunities to which they can aspire. Finally, NAYR is built around the acknowledgement that a student's success is a factor of not only the student’s effort and desire, but also the influence of her family and teachers/school counselors.

Over the last 18 months, we have developed the structure and function of NAYR with collaboration between LCOM, UVM Medical Center, and the local New American community. Through a competitive award process, UVM Medical Center granted seed funding (PI Dougherty) to develop NAYR in direct cooperation with the local immigrant community.

This new SEPA application will build on the work that is ongoing and move NAYR from the development into the implementation phase in which we will launch NAYR programming for a grade 6-9 cohort of girls from our New American community. We will then add a class each year until the cohort make-up is grades 6-12.

Furthermore, this SEPA application requests funding to support a true interprofessional approach including leadership from CNHS as well as pedagogical support and sound educational footing from our colleagues in CESS.

University Of Vermont & State Agricultural College

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GENERAL MEDICAL SCIENCES (NIGMS) SUPPORTS BASIC RESEARCH THAT INCREASES OUR UNDERSTANDING OF BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES AND LAYS THE FOUNDATION FOR ADVANCES IN DISEASE DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, AND PREVENTION. NIGMS ALSO SUPPORTS RESEARCH IN SPECIFIC CLINICAL AREAS THAT AFFECT MULTIPLE ORGAN SYSTEMS: ANESTHESIOLOGY AND PERI-OPERATIVE PAIN, CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY ?COMMON TO MULTIPLE DRUGS AND TREATMENTS, AND INJURY, CRITICAL ILLNESS, SEPSIS, AND WOUND HEALING.? NIGMS-FUNDED SCIENTISTS INVESTIGATE HOW LIVING SYSTEMS WORK AT A RANGE OF LEVELSFROM MOLECULES AND CELLS TO TISSUES AND ORGANSIN RESEARCH ORGANISMS, HUMANS, AND POPULATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, TO ENSURE THE VITALITY AND CONTINUED PRODUCTIVITY OF THE RESEARCH ENTERPRISE, NIGMS PROVIDES LEADERSHIP IN SUPPORTING THE TRAINING OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF SCIENTISTS, ENHANCING THE DIVERSITY OF THE SCIENTIFIC WORKFORCE, AND DEVELOPING RESEARCH CAPACITY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

93.859 - Biomedical Research and Research Training

National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) [HHS - NIH]

Vermont United States

State-Wide

NIH Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) (R25 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) (PAR-23-137)

Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been shortened from 04/30/29 to 04/30/25.