(Portland, Ore.) Sept. 29, 2009 – Portland State University is participating in a 5 year, $2.6 million project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to double the number of underrepresented minority students who graduate with bachelor’s degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Called the Pacific Northwest Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (PNWLSAMP), other participating institutions include University of Washington, Oregon State University, Boise State University, and Washington State University. Portland State Provost Roy Koch is the Principal Investigator on the project for PSU.
PSU currently graduates about 40 underrepresented minority students a year in STEM fields. The goal is to double this number during the course of the project. Student support will include a summer bridge program, academic services for STEM courses, a seminar to broaden experience and enhance knowledge of STEM options, and the opportunity to work with peer and faculty mentors. Funds are available for research experiences during the academic year and summer.
The framework of the program at PSU involves recruitment, readiness, retention, and research. Partnerships with K-12 schools in Portland, Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Gresham will provide access to eligible students. Out-of-class participation in MESA, the Northwest Science Expo System, and >Saturday Academy will help to raise awareness of college-level study in STEM fields and provide early experiences of identity and success as a science student. Retention activities will build upon the services available at PSU and add additional ones as needed. Research and internship opportunities will help prepare students for graduate school and positions in industry.
Faculty will support the program through serving as research mentors and on a Faculty Advisory Committee. They will also facilitate mentoring opportunities with advanced students, advise on progress in the major, and collaborate on materials for supplemental instruction. One-on-one interactions between students and faculty are known to be important contributors to student success.
Minority enrollment nationally at schools participating in the program has grown from 35,670 in 1991 to more than 205,000 in 2003. Almost 25,000 bachelor’s degrees are conferred to minority students annually as the result of the initiative.
About Portland State University
Portland State University (PSU) serves as a center of opportunity for over 27,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Located in Portland, Oregon, one of the nation's most livable cities, the University's innovative approach to education combines academic rigor in the classroom with field-based experiences through internships and classroom projects with community partners. The University's 49-acre downtown campus exhibits Portland State's commitment to sustainability with green buildings, while many of the 125 bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees incorporate sustainability into the curriculum. PSU's motto, "Let Knowledge Serve the City," inspires the teaching and research of an accomplished faculty whose work and students span the globe.
# # #
