Communications of the ACM
Michigan Two and Four-Year Colleges Team p to Boost Minority STEM Enrollment
Muskegon Community College professor David Wiggins
Photo courtesy of Muskegon Community College
The Michigan Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (MI-LSAMP) has enlisted nine community colleges for its effort to increase the number of minority students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines. The addition of community colleges in Detroit and its suburbs, as well as nearby smaller communities, marks the second phase of the MI-LSAMP initiative.
From 2005 to 2010, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Wayne State University, and Western Michigan University helped to increase the number of STEM degrees awarded to minority students by nearly 50 percent.
MI-LSAMP will use pre-first-year programs, paid research experiences, and other strategies. The partner universities will help community college students and counselors understand STEM career opportunities and course transfer equivalents. For example, Western Michigan will host a summer pre-college program to accelerate the problem-solving and math and science skills of incoming students.
"We recognize that more and more students are considering community college as one pathway to a bachelor's degree in the STEM disciplines," says Muskegon Community College professor David Wiggins.
From Diverse Online
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