Evaluation

Evaluating the Program’s Impact and Effectiveness

In partnership with the FIRST Program Coordination and Evaluation Center (CEC) at Morehouse School of Medicine, Drexel FIRST is evaluating the program’s impact at multiple levels including its effectiveness in supporting participating faculty and creating institutional change at Drexel University. More specifically, this evaluation will:

• Characterize and track the various components that compose the FIRST program at Drexel University;
• Assess the impact of the program on institutional outcomes including organizational research climate and implementation and adoption of FIRST strategies, policies, and processes to promote inclusive excellence;
• Examine the impact of the program on outcomes defined at the level of the hiring academic units and the new faculty hires themselves, including unit culture, mentoring environment, sponsorship, other cohort experiences (social isolation, support) and career progression, including productivity, as reflected in publications, presentations, collaborative opportunities, grant submissions and funding successes; and
• Describe the impact of the FIRST Cohort on advancing the science of health disparities research.

Selected key performance indicators include:

• Cohort faculty satisfaction and success at the academic and research levels.
• Institutional and departmental advancement around diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• University policies that support effective mentorship as well as diversity, equity and inclusion in hiring, promotion/tenure and retention of faculty.