Research Apprenticeship Program offers an early taste of the field of medicine
For 12 years, Gloria Hawkins has been dedicated to enriching the lives of diverse and promising high school students interested in pursuing a career in medicine and the sciences.
Hawkins, an assistant dean of multicultural affairs at UW-Madison, is the director of the Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP), primarily funded through the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health and the Department of Public Instruction.
RAP is a seven-week, precollege summer program designed to provide research experiences for a diverse group of juniors and seniors from the Dane County area. In its 28th year, RAP aims to increase participation and success rates of students traditionally underrepresented in the sciences.
Approximately 20-25 students are selected for RAP each summer, and about one-third are also active participants in UW-Madison's Pre-College Enrichment Opportunity Program for Learning Excellence (PEOPLE), a campuswide precollege program designed to create academic opportunities among diverse students in Wisconsin.