Texas A&M-Kingsville announced last week that it has won its largest award in nearly a decade to promote diversity in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The university’s Frank H. Dotterweich College of Engineering will receive $2,392,470 over five years from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the statement said.
According to TAMUK, the Pathways of Excellence to Promote Seamless Transitions in the Engineering Major (PEP-STEM) program will create a model in engineering education–integrating mentoring, academic coaching, summer research experiences and outside classroom opportunities to improve the preparation of engineering students from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Currently, Hispanics make up nearly half of the College of Engineering’s 2,444 students.
“Hispanics make up 18.2 percent of the population and that percentage has grown by nearly 50 percent during 2000-2012. However, they make up only 7 percent of the STEM workforce,” said Dr. Mohammad Alam, dean of the college and the principal investigator, in a statement.
Texas A&M University-Kingsville is the oldest institution of higher learning in South Texas.
“The retention and graduation rates of STEM majors are national challenges that this initiative at Texas A&M-Kingsville will address, Alam said. “Nearly half of our students are first-generation college students, 67 percent are of Hispanic descent, and 72 percent are underrepresented minorities. In addition, we create successful pathways for community college transfer students with a 70 percent graduation rate.” The program will also assist transfer students.
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