Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation

Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation

The Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) is a support program to increase the number of underrepresented students who receive bachelors degrees in science, engineering, or mathematics. These students include those who have faced social, educational, or economic barriers. We emphasize strengthening problem solving and mathematical skills applicable to all academic pursuits. Chico is a part of California State University LSAMP. This program is funded by CSU Chico, the College of Engineering, the College of Natural Sciences, the CSU Chancellor's office, and the National Science Foundation, under cooperative agreement number HRD 1826490.

Program Goals

CSU-LSAMP’s overall goal for the project is to contribute to the development of a STEM workforce, which is broadly inclusive, globally competitive, and prepared to participate at the frontiers of science. Specifically, CSU-LSAMP aims to:

  1. enhance the academic and professional preparation of CSU-LSAMP participants, most of whom are students from underrepresented minorities (URM), for careers in STEM;
  2. further improve persistence and graduation rates for CSU-LSAMP participants;
  3. increase aggregate production of STEM degrees awarded by the CSU to URM students;
  4. increase the number of CSU-LSAMP students who advance to STEM graduate study; and
    document, disseminate, and replicate undergraduate intervention models that increase access to, and
  5. success in STEM baccalaureate degree programs and facilitate admissions to STEM graduate programs.

The types of activities that offered to support each objective have consistently been shown to facilitate retention and progression of URM students in STEM, and represent a set of well-established "best practices."

Notably, the project continues to include the top five LSAMP hallmark activities, which were identified in the Urban Institute's national study of LSAMP (i.e. research experiences, mentoring, internships, scholarships/stipends and academic support/tutoring). In addition, in light of the Urban Institute's finding that those who participated in research were more likely to pursue and complete graduate degrees, this project also includes a variety of activities designed to provide opportunities to:

  • enhance student qualifications for graduate programs (e.g. GRE preparation, teaching experiences, research presentations and internships), and
  • collaborate with other student support programs on participating campuses (e.g. McNair and NIH-NIGMS Bridges to the Future programs) and with programs at Ph.D. granting institutions (e.g. AGEP) that share the goal of broadening participation in STEM.
Program Objectives

As a STEM Pathways and Research Alliance LSAMP, CSU-LSAMP's specific objectives for 2018-2024 include the following:

  • Objective 1 Academic Integration: Support students at critical transition points in their STEM careers (e.g. entering as freshmen, transferring from community college, declaring a major in a STEM discipline) and in “gatekeeper” courses in STEM with the goal of improving student performance and persistence in STEM.
  • Objective 2 Professionalization: Provide opportunities for students to engage in research projects, internships, international activities, conferences, and graduate school preparation activities with the goal of increasing the number of students entering graduate programs and professional careers in STEM.
  • Objective 3 Social Integration: On-going exposure to experiences and opportunities that are important for socialization into science and activities that build a sense of community within STEM disciplines.
Program History

In 1991, the United States Congress enacted the Alliances for Minority Participation initiative, with the aim of significantly increasing the number of students from historically underrepresented groups who successfully obtain baccalaureate degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields and subsequently pursue advanced degrees in STEM disciplines. Eight years later, the initiative was renamed the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation in honor of Louis Stokes, Ohio's first African American elected to Congress.

Established in 1993 with NSF support, the California State University Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (CSU-LSAMP) is a comprehensive program spanning the entire California State University (CSU) system. Our mission is to increase the number of underrepresented students who attain bachelor's degrees in science, engineering, and mathematics, even in the face of social, educational, or economic challenges.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
2024 Summer Calculus Boot Camp Application Available Now!

The Summer Calculus Boot Camp will be in person, at our Chico State campus. If you are interested in applying please email Dr. Herrera, caherrera@csuchico.edu. The application will be available until all the spots are filled. So apply now!