Funding will help underrepresented students pursue STEM degrees
NC State is the recipient of funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) Fellowship program.
Funding from this award helps support graduate students from domestic underrepresented minority backgrounds who are pursuing graduate studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs at the University.
NC State is one of seven University of North Carolina System schools that are part of the North Carolina LSAMP program, joining Fayetteville State University, North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina Central University, UNC Chapel Hill, UNC Charlotte, UNC Pembroke and Winston-Salem State University.
“This bridging program allows students who are interested in STEM to not only work toward a doctoral degree, but also to receive the tools to be successful not only academically, but also in their profession and beyond,” said Dr. Joel Ducoste, director of college graduate student recruitment and advancement and professor in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering. “As the name implies, it bridges undergrads to Ph.D. and helps with the career development process and answering students’ unknown questions on what they should be engaged with while on the road to being a scholar and expert in their chosen field.”
Starting in fall 2019, the LSAMP BD Fellowship will support 12 students with a stipend of $32,000 annually for the first two years; tuition, fees and student health insurance waiver for the first two years; continued funding at unit level for up to three additional years for qualified Ph.D. candidates; personalized mentoring; up to $4,000 in travel funding for professional conferences; links to research and professional opportunities; enriched academic services and support; a summer orientation program; and academic and research enhancement.
Ducoste, who has been leading recruiting efforts for the program since fall 2018, feels the recruitment process has gone well and is looking forward to working with the incoming students.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for NC State to do its part in broadening participation and making the College more inclusive to all people,” he said. “Programs like this are the first step in creating an environment in which everyone feels welcome and helps contribute to the greater good. The power and ideas coming from this aids in shaping the future innovators of the world and transforming the impossible to more of what’s possible.”
Return to contents or download the Spring/Summer 2019 NC State Engineering magazine (PDF, 13.7MB).
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