Introduction 

The Center for Pathway Programs works to coordinate efforts and resources across programs to support students in their educational and career journeys. Many of these programs intentionally focus on URM advancement, and all of them require support from institutional leaders to champion their work and their missions. This highly collaborative session will explore strategies and “shortcuts” to secure institutional buy-in and sustain these initiatives.

Relevance

This session addresses a core challenge many pathway programs face. By creating space to share challenges, successful strategies, and practical solutions, this session provides valuable insights and actionable advice for ASPBP members. The discussion will enhance attendees' ability to advocate for and sustain their programs, ultimately contributing to the broader, shared goal of increasing participation, diversity, and inclusion in STEMM.

Importance 

Institutional support is imperative for program longevity and effectiveness. Without buy-in, programs struggle to secure funding and resources necessary for program and participant success. We aim to address this critical need and empower scalability and impact. Sharing sponsorship strategies helps streamline advocacy efforts so dedicated admins can redirect focus toward excellent programming and meaningful outcomes.

Rationale

This collaborative session is for attendees navigating the complexities of advocating for programs with Deans, department heads, and other decision-makers. Whether establishing, sustaining, or revitalizing programs, admins must make their case. Often overlooked, these challenges underscore the need for dialogue and peer learning. The session calls for administrators and decision-makers alike to discuss strategies for gaining and retaining institutional buy-in. This roundtable fills a critical gap by addressing these seldom-discussed challenges in pathway program advocacy.

Challenges Addressed

Pathway program administrators often face challenges like vying for funding, justifying programs amidst budget cuts, and convincing institutional leadership of program value while shouldering administrative burdens. While The Center for Pathway Programs is building a tool to address many administrative hardships, much remains to be learned about securing enthusiastic institutional support for such innovations. This session seeks to surface strategies that secure buy-in and influence decision-makers to champion our missions to support learners.

Objectives

1. Identify and avoid common pitfalls in securing institutional buy-in.
2. Transform peer insights on successful strategies into actionable plans for buy-in at attendees' institutions.
3. Gather feedback to optimize messaging for communicating the value proposition of pathway programs and tools that optimize their efficacy. 

Prompts

1. What are your most significant challenges in securing institutional buy-in for your pathway programs?
2. Can you share specific examples of successful strategies that have worked in gaining institutional support?
3. What pitfalls have you encountered when soliciting institutional support, and how did you navigate them?
4. How do your institutional leaders talk about pathway programs?
5. How do you demonstrate the impact of your pathway programs to justify funding and support?
6. What tools, products, training, etc., have your institutional leaders invested in to enhance programs?