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Dr. William McHenry, Director
Bridge programs have proved to be a valuable component in the successful achievement of AMP goals and objectives. The AMP Program is designed to remove the barriers that prevent full participation in science, mathematics, engineering and technology by individuals from minority groups currently underrepresented in the SMET workforce. These minority groups (African Americans, Latinos, and American Indians), who represent about 20% of the general population, are underrepresented among those who teach in science and mathematics courses in the K-12 pre-college teaching workforce,
among undergraduate SMET faculty members,
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and among the SMET non-academic workforce. For example, minoritie sreceive less than 3% of the total doctorate degrees awarded in SMET fields. Since the key to global competitiveness and economic stability for the United States is a quality high technology workforce, bridge programs have been constructed that encourage minority individuals to believe that they can succeed in the SMET workforce. These programs start by encouraging minority individuals to consider SMET fields, by acclimating minority students to higher education cultures in many different types of settings, and by achieving results that can demonstrate to undergraduate faculty, minority and nonminority students, family, friends, and SMET employers that minority students are a good investment for SMET careers. Bridge programs that link students to faculty members with high expectations and prepare students to compete are one of the best"investments" of higher education institutions. Programs which take students from where they are to where they should be to compete in the 21st century are examples that the AMP projects offer to the rest of higher education institutions. Lessons learned in opening the doors of SMET disciplines to minorities will also widen the doors for all students. |
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