Beyond the Bridge: Actionable Research Informing the Development of a Comprehensive Intervention Strategy

Using an actionable research approach, researchers and practitioners can collaborate in research to inform advocacy for and development of interventions that seek to reduce inequality in educational outcomes. This process was used at an elite public university to examine the limitations of a summer bridge program and inform the development of an intervention model that provided comprehensive academic and social support for underrepresented students enrolled in engineering and, after a pilot test, other programs at the Midwest University (MU). This article discusses the process leading to the Engineering Academy bridge program, summarizes the research on the pilot test, and describes how the results were used by administrators to advocate for the continuation of the Engineering Academy. Currently, support from the National Science Foundation and MU’s general fund is being used to adapt the intervention for biology, math, and other fields at MU’s College of Liberal Arts.