MUNCIE, Ind. - Ball State University will collaborate with four other Indiana colleges and universities in an effort to spark interest in science-related fields among minorities groups.

The university will share in a $5 million Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation grant from the National Science Foundation to double the number of degrees awarded to minorities in science, math, engineering and technology within five years.

The grant funding will allow Ball State to build upon its existing retention programs, said Beverley Pitts, provost and vice president for academic affairs.

"The activities will further enhance our continuing efforts to increase retention and persistence of all students while giving intentional focus to our minority undergraduate students pursuing science, mathematics and technology degrees," she said.

The grant will be divided evenly among the five participating universities with each providing matching funding. Ball State will receive $366,000 and the university is investing $260,000 into the program.

John Emert, assistant chair of Ball State's mathematical sciences department, will serve as the university's project director to oversee the program.

"Our goal is to make science more appealing to minority groups on campus," Emert said. "We would like them to know that a career in a science field can be exciting and rewarding."

As part of the project, Ball State will incorporate faculty from the College of Science and Humanities as well as professional personnel from the Multicultural Center, University College and the Counseling Center.

The project begins this summer with incoming minority freshmen participating in Ball State's existing summer transition program, designed to assist incoming students with their transition to college.

In future years, the project will feature supplemental instruction programs designed to have students lead or participate in study-skill sessions. These sessions will supplement core and selected advanced courses so that participants' grade point averages increase and retention rates are raised.

Colloquia and shadowing experiences for lower division students will lead to research and internship experiences for upper division students. Each student will submit a proposal for undergraduate research, under the direction of a faculty member.

The final component focuses on the coordination of program development by the universities. Conferences will be organized in which the students will share their experiences and assist staff in developing ways to improve the program.
 
(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, contact Emert at jemert@bsu.edu or (765) 285-8657.)