The National Science Foundation has renewed a five-year $3M grant funding the University System of Maryland’s Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation program. Aimed at increasing the number and success of minority students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, the program is a collaboration among USM partner institutions, including the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
“We are pleased to be able to continue this opportunity to positively impact the lives of many science-minded students at our institution,” said Dr. Moses T. Kairo, dean of the School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences at UMES. “It is critical to maintain a healthy pipeline of talent in the STEM areas in order to ensure that the U.S. remains a hub of discovery and innovation which is so critical for the nation’s economy. Without such talent, the country’s competitiveness in the global arena will fall short.”
Since the initiation of the program three decades ago, UMES has provided opportunities for some 250 students through the LSAMP program. Undergraduates receive academic and social support, including mentoring, professional development workshops, community outreach activities and, most importantly, research opportunities under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Students present research at STEM conferences and the annual UMES Research Symposium. Participants who have completed qualifying activities earn a stipend at the end of each semester.
“The success of the LSAMP program is in part due to the efforts of UMES faculty mentors. Faculty mentors work closely with our students on research projects and devote significant time towards their scientific development. We believe this positively impacts their STEM identity and influences their decision to pursue graduate study or enter the STEM workforce,” said Dr. Tracy Bell, an associate professor of biology and the LSAMP coordinator at UMES. Several LSAMP program alumni, she said, are currently enrolled in top graduate programs at universities including Duke University, Dartmouth College and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
UMES is joined by the University of Maryland College Park, the University of Maryland Baltimore County and Towson University in collaborative efforts under USM’s LSAMP. The program, named after former U.S. Representative Louis Stokes (Cleveland) who served as a leading figure in Congress in matters concerning civil rights, equality, and social and economic justice, is funded under National Science Foundation Grant No.1619676.
For more information on UMES’ program, visit https://www.umes.edu/SANS/LSAMP/About-LSAMP/ . Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, possess a 3.0 GPA and be enrolled as a full-time UMES undergraduate student with at least two completed semesters. Transfer students from community colleges are also encouraged to apply.
Gail Stephens, agricultural communications and media associate, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, gcstephens@umes.edu, 410-621-3850.
