Diversity programmes in the united states
Diversity Programme Partners
AfricaArray benefits from partnerships with corporate, government and academic organizations and is actively seeking new partners to advance, promote and enhance its diversity program. Support from these organizations is critical to recruiting African American, Hispanic and Native American students to careers in the geosciences and to sustaining that pipeline of talented students.
Corporate Partners
As a growing initiative, AfricaArray depends upon corporate relationships to support and expand the educational experiences that attract minority students into the geosciences. Corporate partners have a number of opportunities by which they can support AfricaArray’s diversity programs. These include:
- Offering internships and other career development opportunities to AfricaArray students;
- Supporting AfricaArray’s summer field course in Africa;
- Funding scholarships to support undergraduate students;
- Contributing resources to AfricaArray’s pre-college activities and high school teacher workshops.
Corporate organizations also benefit from partnering with AfricaArray through networking events with AfricaArray students and alumni and access to student and faculty research.
Corporate partners in the U.S. that have contributed to AfricaArray’s diversity programmes in the U.S. include:
- Chevron
- Exxon Mobil
- Marathon Oil
Corporate partners in Africa that have provided in-kind contributions to AfricaArray’s diversity programmes include:
- Anglo Platinum
- Anglo American
- African Rainbow Minerals
Government Partners
Support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) has been instrumental in sustaining and advancing AfricaArray’s diversity programme. NSF is committed to building a diverse workforce in undergraduate and graduate education for the global economy.
The following NSF offices and directorates have provided support for AfricaArray’s diversity programme:
- The Office of International Science and Engineering—Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) programme;
- The Directorate for Geosciences, Earth Sciences Division—Geophysics programme;
- The Directorate for Geosciences—Opportunities for Enhancing Diversity in the Geosciences programme.
Academic Partners
AfricaArray’s diversity programme is supported by academic partners including the Pennsylvania State University, California State University, Northridge (CalNorthridge), Fort Valley State University (FVSU), North Carolina A&T State University (NCA&T), and the University of Texas El Paso (UTEP).
Three of the academic partners already work together on programs to promote diversity in the geosciences. Fort Valley and Penn State have a successful 3-2 programme whereby Fort Valley students spend three years at that Georgia institution and then transfer to Penn State for two more years. At the end of the fifth year, those students receive a B.S. in math or chemistry from Fort Valley and a B.S. in geosciences from Penn State.
Penn State and NCA&T also have been working together to build institutional capacity at NCA&T in geosciences and to identify talented undergraduate students for graduate study. Since 2006, seven NCA&T undergraduate students have participated in the AfricaArray summer field programme.
California State University, Northridge (CalNorthridge)
- Founded in 1958 in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, part of California State University system
- Enrollment in Fall 2007 – 35,466; 29,760 undergraduates and 5,686 graduate students
- 29% Hispanic; 9% African American; 13% Asian/Pacific Islander
- 58% women
- Offers 64 baccalaureate degrees, 52 master’s degrees and 55 teaching credential programs
- In Fall 2006, 60% of full-time undergraduates received financial aid of some type
- Average of students is 23.7 years old
Fort Valley State University (Fort Valley, Georgia)
- Land grant institution founded in1895, part of University of Georgia system
- Located 100 miles south of Atlanta
- Enrollment in 2008-09 - 3,000 students, 94% of whom are African American
- Primarily undergraduate education, offering baccalaureate degrees in more than 50 majors
- Offers two master’s degrees (education, counseling)
- About 90% of students receive financial aid
- Average age of undergraduate students is 24 years old
North Carolina A & T State University (Greensboro, NC)
- Land grant institution founded in 1890, one of three of North Carolina’s engineering colleges and part of the University of North Carolina system
- Fall 2008 undergraduate enrollment of 8,829; graduate enrollment of 1,559
- Graduates the largest number of African American students in engineering, science and technology in the country
- Classified as a “High Research” institution
- Offers baccalaureate degrees through five schools and two colleges; 50 master’s degrees; five Ph.D. programs
- 91% of undergraduates are African American; 62% of graduate students are African American
- Home to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) ISET Cooperative Science Center
- Pennsylvania’s only land grant institution was founded in 1855
- 19 campuses across the state plus main campus at University Park
- Fall 2008 undergraduate enrollment of 37,988 at University Park
- Fall 2008 undergraduate enrollment of 31,568 at the 19 campuses
- 14% of undergraduate students from underrepresented groups
- Offers baccalaureate degrees in more than 160 majors; 108 doctoral programs, 117 academic master’s and 83 professional master’s degree programs
University of Texas, El Paso (UTEP)
- Founded in 1914 as Texas’ first school of mines, part of the University of Texas system
- Fall 2007 enrollment of 20,154 students, almost 56% of whom are women
- Average age of undergraduate students is 23 years old
- Almost 83% are from El Paso County
- 74% Hispanic; 3% African American