The major goal of the SDSU Bridges to the Future program is to increase the number of minority biological sciences majors at San Diego City College, Grossmont College and Southwestern who will transfer to SDSU or to another four-year university to pursue graduate studies in biomedical sciences.

Successful transfer from community college through the state mandated Transfer Agreement requires a minimum GPA of 2.7. The SDSU Bridges Program helps students achieve this goal through several enrichment courses: (1) laboratory skills, (2) research ethics, (3) biomedical research techniques, (4) science and math academic workshops; and (5) colloquia exposing students to research mentors and role models.

John Tolli, Ph.D.       
Being hooded at his gradation ceremony at MIT, Summer 2004. John earned his Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography from the MIT/Woods Hole joint doctoral program. John was a student in our first Bridges group and is currently a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of Maine's Darling Marine Center.