AGU BRIDGE PROGRAM: A STEP TOWARDS EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION IN GEOSCIENCE GRADUATE PROGRAMS

The goal of the AGU Bridge Program is to increase the number of underrepresented students obtaining graduate degrees in the geosciences. The program offers students who have not applied to graduate school, or who have applied but were not accepted:

• A free common application that can be shared with multiple institutions or Bridge Partners (which have been vetted and have existing practices in place that support students)
• Professional development opportunities, including workshops and conferences (through existing programs within AGU and as part of the AGU Bridge Program and its collaborators)
• Connections to faculty and professionals who can serve as mentors (through our mentoring and other student programs)
• Connections to other students in the program who share their experiences (via a virtual community and regular engagements with program staff and others)

This presentation will discuss how the geoscience community has responded to this program as well as share progress that has been made since this program was inaugurated in 2018. The AGU Bridge Program part of the Inclusive Graduate Education Network (IGEN) is funded by the NSF INCLUDES Alliance.