A few weeks ago, I started to look at the programs that work to boost minority participation in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields, specifically Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation. The Model Institutions for Excellence (MIE) is another successful program that focuses on helping STEM students by providing long-term institutional funding to Hispanic-serving institutions, historically Black colleges and universities, and tribal colleges and universities. The National Science Foundation provides funding for both programs.
Each MIE institution focuses on student support systems, undergraduate research opportunities, faculty development through technology and curriculum, outreach recruitment programs for K-12 students, STEM educational infrastructure, internal and external institutional assessment and evaluation, and partnerships and collaborations with business for student internship programs.
Currently there are several institutional partners actively involved: Bowie State University in Maryland; Spelman College in Atlanta; Universidad Metropolitana in Puerto Rico; The University of Texas at El Paso; Xavier University of Louisiana; Oglala Lakota College and Sisseton Wahpeton College in South Dakota; and Sitting Bull College in North Dakota.
In 2003-2004 there were roughly 34,810 undergraduate students enrolled in the MIE institutions, with 20 percent (6,950) in STEM fields. More than 40 percent of the 6,950 students enrolled in STEM are Hispanic, and 37 percent are Black.
Enrollment Trends
The growth of MIE enrollments has significantly increased compared to national trends. Overall, national STEM enrollment has increased by 9 percent between 1993-1994 and 2004-2005,according to National Science Foundation, while MIE student enrollment in STEM majors has increased overall by 27 percent. Native American presence has increased from 28 to 112 students (for a 647 percent increase), followed by the Hispanic enrollment, which increased from 2,170 to 3,173 (for a 46 percent increase).
INSERT CHART1, IN READYFOLDER AND EMAILED TO RAYMOND FROM MICHELLE
Graduation Trends
Overall growth in MIE STEM graduation rates between 1994-1995 to 2003-2004 has increased by 47 percent, compared to 19 percent overall STEM graduation rates nationwide. During the same years, the number of Blacks earning bachelor’s degrees from MIE schools nearly doubled, followed by a 34 percent growth in STEM degrees awarded to Hispanics.
