Strategic Plan

To attract top-tier graduate talent and expand opportunities for underrepresented populations in biomedical science:

Strategy 1.1: Provide Competitive Financial Packages for Student Recruitment

• Continue expanding the ASCO Scholarship Program.
• Ensure regionally competitive graduate stipends and research salaries.
• Provide strategic application fee waiver incentives.
• Fully cover tuition and mandatory institutional fees for all doctoral students.
• Provide comprehensive health insurance coverage for all doctoral students.
• Continually evaluate and increase student stipends to assist with health insurance premiums for doctoral candidates.

Strategy 1.2: Identify and Implement Targeted Recruitment Activities

• Conduct outreach travel to diverse undergraduate campuses and regional colleges.
• Increase the number of domestic Ph.D. applicants brought to campus for funded recruitment tours and faculty interviews.
• Track, analyze, and optimize prospective student pipelines utilizing Slate admissions software.
• Continually enhance undergraduate summer research experiences through SABR (Lubbock) and ABRI/BRIA (Amarillo & Abilene).
• Implement the Biomedical Sciences Research Scholar Program in partnership with the TTUHSC Office of Research and Innovation.
• Launch targeted multi-channel digital media and advertising campaigns for graduate programs.
• Modernize and maintain the GSBS website as an accessible, professional, user-friendly digital resource for prospective students and stakeholders.

To ensure graduate education prepares trainees for high-impact careers across academic, clinical, and biotechnology sectors:

Strategy 2.1: Increase Exposure to Diverse Biomedical Career Opportunities

• Expand and enhance the annual Student and Faculty Research Retreat.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary seminar series and journal clubs highlighting diverse career trajectories.
• Expand student mentoring frameworks and resources across departments.
• Support scientific collaboration and dialogue through Student Research Week (SRW) and campus Annual Research Days.
• Host workshops with GSBS alumni focusing on industry careers (Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical "Homecoming" seminars, Clinical Research).

Strategy 2.2: Systematic Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes

• Document programmatic student learning outcomes and annual assessment plans in Weave.
• Align and revise all course syllabi with explicit learning outcome objectives.
• Standardize evaluation rubrics for summative milestones (qualifying exams, thesis defenses, dissertation evaluations).
• Establish a centralized tracking system for student publications, conference presentations, and external recognitions.

Strategy 2.3: Enhance Student Academic Support Resources

• Revamp the peer-based graduate tutoring network.
• Monitor and evaluate student resource satisfaction via annual graduation and exit surveys.
• Empower the Core Curriculum Coordination (CCC) Committee to oversee curriculum refinement, faculty training for TechLink/hybrid courses, and student progress tracking.

Strategy 2.4: Continuous Program Review & Alignment

• Disseminate unified program review policies across all departments.
• Conduct systematic program reviews adhering to Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) cycles.
• Utilize review data to iterate and update departmental action plans.
• Ensure Ph.D. concentrations maintain strategic and organizational alignment with school-wide missions.

Strategy 2.5: Track Graduate Career Placement & Alumni Relations

• Strengthen alumni engagement through homecoming seminars, social platforms, and national conference receptions.
• Administer comprehensive post-graduation exit questionnaires.
• Track and publish alumni employment data to build a vibrant professional networking directory.

To cultivate degree options that match evolving regional workforce demands and technological advancements:

Strategy 3.1: Promote Educational Opportunities in Master's Programs

• Maintain educational excellence and high professional placement in the Graduate Medical Education Sciences (GMES) M.S. program.
• Expand the Pharmaceutical Sciences M.S. degree offering to the Abilene campus.
• Grow enrollment and recruitment reach for the Biotechnology M.S. program.
• Implement and evaluate the accelerated one-year non-thesis track in Biotechnology.
• Evaluate healthcare and scientific trends to design new graduate concentrations.

To expand the impact, scope, and external funding support of TTUHSC biomedical investigations:

Strategy 4.1: Increase Research Funding and Investigator Success

• Support department chairs in recruiting dynamic faculty with active, grant-funded research programs.
• Align faculty research expertise with program curricular requirements.
• Maintain an up-to-date Research Opportunities and Faculty Rotation directory.
• Foster collaborative research partnerships across all TTUHSC schools and clinical departments.
• Provide dedicated faculty mentorship workshops for graduate student advising.
• Integrate postdoctoral fellows into GSBS academic activities and partner closely with the Office of Research.

Strategy 4.2: Expand Graduate Student Scholarship Endowments

• Advance institutional fundraising efforts for competitive GSBS scholarships.
• Expand philanthropic and sponsorship initiatives during Student Research Week.

To foster an inclusive, supportive learning environment that prioritizes professional growth and mental well-being:

Strategy 5.1: Professional and Career Development Initiatives

• Host grant-writing workshops focused on predoctoral fellowship submissions (e.g., NIH F31, NSF GRFP).
• Provide professional workshops on LinkedIn profile optimization, CV writing, and industry resume design.
• Develop teaching portfolio workshops and pedagogical training opportunities for future educators.
• Sustain the Office of Graduate Student Development and Postdoctoral Affairs in collaboration with the TTUHSC Office of Research.

Strategy 5.2: Student Health & Holistic Wellness

• Conduct mandatory orientation and training sessions on mental health awareness, crisis intervention, and suicide prevention.
• Host the annual Graduate Student Appreciation Luncheon.
• Organize regular, student-centered wellness gatherings and social events.
• Partner with TTUHSC Well Beyond to provide workshops and counseling grounded in the eight dimensions of wellness.