Description:

Co-Principal Investigators: Tamara Bertrand-Jones, Jeannine Turner, and Peggy Auman (Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University)

Partner Institution: Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

The new Partners United for Research Pathways Oriented to Social Justice in Education (PURPOSE) training program at Florida Statue University (FSU) and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) will provide upper-level undergraduate and first year masters students with experiences in conducting education research while preparing participants for doctoral study. The training program will include faculty and students from both universities. Over the course of the five-year grant, PURPOSE will offer up to 56 students one-year fellowships.

The PURPOSE training program's P–20 theme focuses on researching social justice issues within educational contexts. As part of the year-long training program, fellows will receive training in education research, conduct research with faculty mentors, and receive assistance in applying to doctoral study. Throughout the year fellows will participate in proseminars, within which they will learn about social justice issues. They will also learn about the graduate school application process and integrate learning from their research experiences.

During the fellows' initial spring semester in the program, they will take a research methods course and participate in mentored research. Then, during the summer, fellows will complete a research practicum at the North Florida Freedom Schools (NFFS). The NFFS strives to reach low-income students, who are racial or ethnic minorities, during a free 6-week summer day camp that is intended to empower students to make a difference in their world through a social action project. Fellows will conduct research on the NFFS under the supervision of their mentors while also volunteering (e.g., assisting with curricula, students' social action projects) and submitting reflective reports on their experiences. During the fall semester fellows will participate in a research dissemination practicum, culminating with a poster presentation.

For participation in the training program, each fellow will receive a stipend and a small allowance for research and travel.

Project website: http://purposetraining.org/

Increasing Diversity in the Education Sciences

A primary objective of all Pathways training programs is to help increase diversity in the Education Sciences. PURPOSE represents a partnership between two Florida Universities that serve diverse student populations: Florida State University and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, a historically black university. The program intends to recruit underrepresented racial/ethnic students, economically disadvantaged students, students with disabilities, veterans, and first-generation college students. Participating faculty represent multiple academic disciplines and research expertise relevant to the training program's social justice theme.