Starting this summer, minority students interested in math and science fields will get more support from Ball State through a $5 million grant.
The grant, worth $366,000 for Ball State, was split among four other Indiana colleges as part of a Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation grant.
Part of the National Science Foundation, the grant aims to recruit more minorities in math, science, engineering and technology fields.
The help is much-needed, said Derick Virgil, director of the Multicultural Center.
"That area (math and science) is notorious for having (minority) students shy away from it," Virgil said. "We could definitely do better."
Virgil said the recruitment program will start this summer with incoming minority freshmen who participate in EXCEL.
EXCEL, Virgil said, assists freshmen with adjusting to college life. Through the program, focus will be turned to minorities.
Students will work with upper-classman science or math majors in labs.
"We can get the new students in the lab with passionate, motivated students who should be excited about their work," Virgil said in a recent e-mail. "Hopefully this will ignite further interest in these fields and ultimately produce more graduates of color in the program."
Virgil said this process would expand into a mentoring program for minorities starting in Fall 2004. Eventually, the program will be offered to all incoming freshmen.
John Emert, assistant chair of Ball State's mathematical sciences department, will oversee the program.
Emert was unavailable for comment as of presstime.
As the program progresses, students will be able to lead or participate in study skill sessions.
Virgil said he hopes the program will succeed.
"It's important to have a representative of a number of different races in every field," Virgil said. "We need to provide students with a multitude of perspectives."
Virgil said adding different perspectives helps solves many types of problems, especially in math and science fields where finding answers to questions is vital.
"We need as many avenues of solutions as we can get," Virgil said. "The more perspectives we have, the better off we all are."
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
