“Real Change” Study Biology Scholars Program

The BSP Approach is Effective

BSP has a well-established reputation of successfully developing the science talent of students from marginalized backgrounds by tailoring advising, mentoring, and tutoring to each member’s personal history, current life circumstances, and readiness to succeed.

• Institutional student data from UCB showed that for entering freshman cohorts, URM BSP members graduate with a biology degree in nearly identical percentages as biology majors-at-large and only 10% lower with exit GPAs greater than or equal to 3.0. By contrast, URMs not in BSP show significantly lower degree and GPA attainment than BSP URMs.

Finding #1

BSP Student Success: Changing the Narrative of Who can Succeed in Science

BSP has made a substantial and positive difference in the STEM equity and inclusion views and practices of Berkeley’s Faculty, Program Directors, Administrators, and Staff.

• 71% of survey participants stated that BSP (either “Moderately” or “Significantly”) influenced the increase of inclusion.

Interview participants see BSP as making ‘The Impossible, Possible’ for first-to-college/low-income students to graduate with a biology degree and competitive exit GPA (3.0 or higher), changing the narrative of who can succeed in science.

“[BSP] gives students [that are] in a position where they feel like ‘this is all impossible’ and this gives them tools to make it possible.” – Administrator

Finding #2

Co-Lateral Benefits: ‘Ripple Effects’ of BSP’s Student Success

BSP has had a ‘ripple effect’ on how participants in this study have worked with their STEM majors.

• 80% of survey participants agreed (either “True most of the time” or “True some of the time”) that BSP scholars created positive “ripples” in classes and programs.

“BSP has given many otherwise marginalized students a sense of belonging and a ‘family’.” – Faculty

“It has allowed brilliant, yet perhaps shy/reluctant, students to blossom and strive to reach their full (and did I mention brilliant!?) potentials. It gives these competent students the confidence and support to reach for and achieve their goals (their impressive and lofty goals).” - Staff

Examples of BSP’s ‘Ripple Effect’ by Participant Group

Faculty

Early career collaborations with BSP shaped the mentoring and teaching of some faculty. Instead of ‘hazing’ or writing off students as lacking talent, they adopted the view that students have a high capacity to succeed if given the opportunity to grow their talent.

“I see the goal is trying to meet students where they are and bring them along and encourage them. When I was teaching [a class] I would try [to]… give a statement about the importance of being inclusive and welcoming… that everybody has a place, and everybody should be here.”

Examples of BSP’s ‘Ripple Effect’ by Participant Group

Program Directors

Program Directors experienced BSP as providing a model for their own programs. BSP provided collaboration and support that informed them about how to set up their programs and improve how they served students in a variety of disciplines across campus.

“I think when it comes to working with my own staff… it's trying to impart the same that I’ve learned through BSP, encouraging connections.”

Examples of BSP’s ‘Ripple Effect’ by Participant Group

Administrators

Some administrators saw BSP as shaping the sense of how Berkeley approaches equity and inclusion work, but not actively impacting campus wide policy or practices.

“I mean, it's certainly shaped my sense of how we approach equity and inclusion work, whether directly or indirectly, as one of the long-standing programs on the campus.”

Examples of BSP’s ‘Ripple Effect’ by Participant Group

Staff

Staff highlighted the importance of increasing awareness and understanding of the unseen lived experiences that URM and first-generation students face at UC Berkeley among all those who support student success.

“Maybe not in my surrounding, like intermediate close community of advisors. I think we all recognize the strength of the BSP and are aligned with them or want to be aligned with them.”

Finding #3

BSP’s ‘Passive’ History: BSP Must Take an ‘Active’ Institutional Change Role

BSP’s institutional impacts have been largely informal and passive, mostly through everyday interactions with Faculty, Program Directors, Administrators, and Staff with program members.

To help grow a more inclusive undergraduate STEM ecosystem that fosters more equitable student outcomes, BSP must be more intentional and systematic about formally sharing ‘what is working’ with the campus community.

To do this, BSP must gain a deep understanding of the program components that contribute to student success and how they create environments in which students will thrive.

This is the ‘next step’ for BSP, adapting and scaling its approach to help UC Berkeley build its institutional capacity to support the participation and success of all students with a passion for STEM, especially those from historically minoritized groups.

To learn more about the Real Change study, download the full report.

To learn more about Biology Scholars Program, visit the website.

To help expand the reach of both, please donate!