The University has revealed a new $3.5 million program focused on increasing the population of minority students in STEM fields. The initiative is funded by the National Science Foundation’s Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation program and is an alliance effort involving five other institutions within Illinois.

According to the Grainger College of Engineering’s website, the project aims to increase the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded to underrepresented students in STEM programs. It includes Black and African American, Hispanic and Latino, American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students.

Lance Cooper, associate head for graduate programs and the interim director of the Institute for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access in the Grainger College of Engineering, explained that LSAMP supports undergraduate students by preparing them for careers through research experience and professional development.

Ashleigh Wright, associate director at the IDEA Institute, oversaw the funding initiative at the University and serves as the program director and co-principal investigator. She notes numerous barriers for underrepresented students in higher education and how LSAMP aims to address these challenges by creating opportunities for students to grow and succeed within their fields.

“When you see people that look like you, doing things that you maybe never even thought of, it makes you feel like it’s possible,” Wright said. “It’s hard being the first of anything. Sometimes we find ourselves in spaces where we are the first, but it’s a lot more comforting whenever you can relate to someone that may have a similar experience (to) you.”

To Cooper, the biggest barrier for underrepresented students in STEM is the lack of resources, acknowledging that many come from smaller historically Black or liberal arts colleges with limited access.

“These are very talented, promising students who, given the right resources, could be excellent researchers,” Cooper said. “We’re finding ways to bring those resources to them or make those resources available to them.”

There are four pillars to the LSAMP program: academic enrichment, professional development, career and graduate school exploration and undergraduate research. 

Academic enrichment is one of the beginning pillars of the program, helping students develop the proper skills necessary to be successful in STEM. 

This foundational support is enhanced by the program’s focus on undergraduate research, which Holly Golecki, co-principal investigator and bioengineering teaching assistant professor, recognizes as one of the most important aspects of the LSAMP program.

“I really see undergraduate research as being hugely impactful,” Golecki said. “When you join a research lab, you have almost a second home on campus, a new group of people that you really get to know in your lab. But also, you get to stretch yourself in new ways to learn how to do research.”

Golecki is also excited about the mentoring aspect of LSAMP. Co-private investigators serve as mentors throughout the program, guiding on academics and career development.

She emphasizes that the program isn’t solely focused on academic success; it’s dedicated to supporting students holistically.

“I think that helping students kind of connect the dots between academic experiences and their own personal experiences is really how you help students present themselves to the world so that they can get the best opportunities possible,” Golecki said.

Career exploration, another one of the four pillars, encourages students to engage with opportunities for internships and careers. The LSAMP program partners with institutions such as Sandia National Laboratories and Argonne National Laboratory, allowing students to find options and people that match their interests and needs. 

Cooper added that networking is crucial for success in graduate school and career searching.

“Pairing with institutions like Sandia and Argonne provides a wealth … of resources for people to reach out to at various stages of your career,” Cooper said. “When you’re applying for a postdoc or a staff position, you can reach out to these people that you’ve met and say, ‘Hey, I’m interested in a job at Sandia.’”

One of the main goals of LSAMP is to ensure that the retention and graduation rates for undergraduates involved in the program are as high as possible while increasing the number of underrepresented students with bachelor’s degrees in their fields.

For Cooper, diverse workplaces in STEM are crucial for creating successful environments. He emphasizes that diverse groups, whether defined by race, gender, geography or another category, bring unique experiences that enhance problem-solving skills. 

“All of those things give you an experience that may be different from somebody else and may give you insights into solving a problem that a group that is more homogeneous may not be able to see into,” Cooper said.

Wright’s goal with the program is to start a legacy of LSAMP scholars at the University.

“The whole idea is that this program can help to really increase the number of students that are from these groups on this campus and on the campuses of our partner Alliance institutions for the long haul,” Wright said. “This program has the potential to be here as long as we continue to do good work, and I think that’s the key — continuing to do good work.”

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