The Charlotte Post February 16, 2011 Program prepares women faculty in STEM Livingstone participates in national initiative SALISBURY – Livingstone College is participating in a national initiative to support minority women faculty in science, technology, engineering and math. Preparing Critical Faculty for the Future is sponsored by the Association of American Colleges and Universities and is funded by the National Science Foundation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program. Under project guidelines, each participating institution nominated two women of color faculty members in STEM disciplines to participate in all phases of the project. Institutional leaders also identified other additional participants, primarily women of color, to engage in the project’s second phase, which begins in July. “The individual faculty members participating in this project include many talented faculty members who will be leaders in both their institutions and nationally in the coming years,” said AAC&U Senior Scholar and Project Director Alma Clayton-Pedersen. “Through this initiative, we hope to provide support to a network of scholars and teachers who can help each other and the rest of the nation as we all seek to improve undergraduate STEM education for students at HBCUs and for students, especially those historically underserved, at all different kinds of colleges and universities.” The faculty members who will assume the lead role in Livingstone’s participation are Alexandra Proctor, chairwoman of the biology and chemistry department, and Tonya Hendrix, associate professor of biology. Livingstone officials are proud to be part of such an important initiative. Proctor, who has chaired Livingstone’s biology and chemistry department for about a year, is excited the college was chosen to participate. “Part of the benefit for participating is we get to consult with national experts,” Proctor said. “We’ll get some positive media attention and we’ll help propel women of color into science and leadership positions on our campus. We’ll also develop the STEM program on our campus.” Another benefit is the impact undergraduate research has on college campuses, she said. “When I attended the AAC&U Conference in November at Duke University they said … it increases your academic retention of students by 10 percent if you have undergraduate research programs.” Livingstone is already involved in a collaborative research program with Wake Forest University School of Medicine. “This is a significant accomplishment for the college for several reasons,” said Jacqueline Gray, Livingstone’s associate vice president of institutional effectiveness and sponsored programs. “That we beat out so many other schools shows we have a viable STEM program at Livingstone and exceptional faculty members capable of participating in such a prestigious effort. We have established our research infrastructure and will be able to apply for STEM research grants. “It’s also significant because now we can begin to more aggressively encourage young black girls to become scientists,” Gray continued. “Data shows us that typically young black girls aren’t counseled or mentored in any of the STEM disciplines, and this has caused disparity among black women in these critical fields. This program is specifically designed for women of color and will be a catalyst for change, and Livingstone will be a major contributor.” Also key, Proctor said, is Livingstone College’s ability to successfully obtain National Science Foundation grants. “It’s sort of like a first impression, and now they have a good first impression of us,” she said. “This is just the beginning of us starting to get grants from the NSF.” Gray said global employment opportunities will expand for Livingstone students as the college’s STEM academic programs are strengthened. “Likewise, enhanced professional skills and awareness among faculty will increase student learning opportunities, which allows the college to demonstrate its commitment to the mission of preparing students for the global society,” she said. “All of this is in line with the holistic college approach that our President, Dr. Jimmy R. Jenkins, Sr., established when he came to Livingstone. Not only has he set this as a priority, but it’s also stated in the college’s strategic plan.” Four-year public and private institutions, as well as two-year schools, were considered for participation. Other participating North Carolina schools are Bennett College, N.C. A&T State, N.C. Central and Winston-Salem State universities. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Program Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 404.592.4820 Skype:sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.