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Home > OLD ARCH(IVED News + Research > Loyola Marymount University's SECOP Opens Doors to Success
Loyola Marymount University's SECOP Opens Doors to Success
Francis Villalpando
Writer/Editor
Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University’s efforts to attract and retain female and ethnic minority students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors are paying off. According to national statistics, women make up only 25 percent of the STEM workforce. But those findings may change in the future if LMU’s recent experience is reflective of nationwide trends.
“More women and ethnic minorities are studying science as a result of LMU’s extensive outreach efforts,” says Richard G. Plumb, dean of LMU’s Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering. Programs such as the Science and Engineering Community Outreach Program (SECOP) are changing the gender ratio in STEM courses at LMU.
Today, 432 students — or more than 52 percent of those enrolled in the Seaver college — are women. About 30 percent self-identify as Hispanic or African American.
SECOP is a pre-college program that brings each summer about 30 underrepresented low-income minority high school students to LMU for a two-week residential “boot camp” to improve their STEM skills. The students experience campus life and are mentored by science and engineering undergraduates as well as professors.
During their two weeks on campus, SECOP students attend pre-engineering, computer and advanced math classes taught by LMU professors. They take field trips to engineering and science corporations such as Disney's Imagineering and Northrop Grumman. Other activities, including an annual Career Day, help prepare students for life after high school graduation. Students are also provided with important information about the SATs, college admission, and scholarships.
According to Barbara Christie, director of SECOP, providing such an opportunity at the end of the sophomore year gives students a new purpose when they return to their high schools. “Their teachers really see an improvement with them. Students recognize that the purpose of finishing high school is to attend and graduate from college, because they have been acclimated to the whole college experience,” Christie explained.
“This program is unique because we reach out to kids who have little access to information about careers in science and engineering,” Christie says. “The results are amazing. The students realize that being strong in math and science can lead to rewarding and lucrative careers in engineering, biomedical research or a health-related field.”
SECOP’s track record is worthy of note: 100 percent of the students have gone on to attend college, some at LMU, including Leslie Wall ’07. Wall is among the first group of SECOP alums that graduated in May 2007. She served as the program’s assistant director during her four years at LMU and currently works as a civil engineer for the City of Los Angeles. She says the program changed her life.
“I knew I liked science and math, but I didn’t know what I wanted to study in college or do as a career,” says Wall. “This program showed me what engineering was like and what college was all about. SECOP inspired me to do my own research and to consider the possibilities.”
While SECOP opens doors for students, it also works toward the National Science Foundation’s goal of helping the United States maintain a position of world leadership in science and engineering by accessing an untapped reservoir of talent. Historically, not only women but many ethnic minorities — African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans — have been underrepresented in science and engineering fields. The NSF’s strategic plan specifically cites that developing the country’s intellectual capital — especially that of underrepresented groups — is key to creating a dynamic and diverse community of researchers and educators to lead the future of our science and technology-based industries.
SECOP identifies high school students through partnerships with several local academic enrichment programs serving the minority community of Los Angeles, including Young Black Scholars, College Bound, Blazer Youth Services Community Club and American Indian Clubhouse. Since 2001, a total of 154 students from 54 local high schools have participated in SECOP.
The average cost for a student to participate in a program like SECOP is approximately $2,000. Through grants from agencies including the California Educational Facilities Authority and Medtronic Corp., students attend SECOP without cost for them and their families.
“LMU is committed to helping underrepresented minorities pursue and complete degrees in science and engineering,” Plumb says. “The only way to lead a vibrant future in science is by taking a vested interest in seeing all students succeed.”
In 2008, Christie expects to enroll 36 sophomores in the program.
“It’s really rewarding to watch them grow up … giving them the right push at the right time makes a difference,” Christie says. “When we began this seven years ago, I never imagined the extent of our success or that it would last so long.”