Disseminating a Mentoring Program for Undergraduates of Color: Lessons Learned

Scholars Committed to Opportunities in Psychological Education (SCOPE) is a comprehensive and culturally informed program that empowers underrepresented students of color to overcome barriers to gaining admission to graduate education in psychology. Through SCOPE, participants attend workshops and trainings on the psychology graduate school application process, learn about pertinent issues of discrimination and social justice, receive guidance from a mentor, and complete a full-length practice graduate record examination. In this article, we present empirical data from the first dissemination of the SCOPE program. We also share lessons learned from disseminating and implementing the SCOPE program related to finding a program home, securing buy-in, recruiting diverse team members and mentors, procuring financial support, marketing the program, managing logistical operations, overcoming institutional barriers to program implementation and evaluation, and institutionalizing the program in different contexts.