Working together across the State
PNW LSAMP is administered at the University of Washington’s Seattle campus in partnership with staff from each participating institution. Each 4-year institution has a 2-year institution partner.
Program vision and direction is provided by an advisory board of chief academic officers, diversity officers and deans from participating institutions. The advisory board works to ensure that the commitment to addressing underrepresentation in STEM is both enduring and institution wide.
University of Washington
The University of Washington (UW) ranks among the top 20 doctoral granting institutions in the country. The UW Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity (OMA&D) was one of the first of its kind in the nation, and it serves as a partner and catalyst for campus-wide diversity initiatives. The UW is home to a number of undergraduate STEM outreach programs and its academic colleges and departments have excellent reputations for undergraduate research.
The UW LSAMP Center is the hub for URM STEM activity on campus. The Center has led to increased collaboration among STEM programs and academic departments. LSAMP and the College of Engineering developed a STEM international research program for LSAMP students. Faculty, industry and STEM student organizations continue to provide support for LSAMP initiatives. LSAMP has partnered with faculty members to enhance their educational outreach and broader impact activities related to NSF research. LSAMP students benefit greatly from the interaction with faculty.
2-Year Partner: Seattle Central College
Seattle Central Community College is a large urban campus with 10,000 students – over 45% of whom identify as students of color. It has an increased focus on STEM education and recently opened a new $26 million science and mathematics building. The campus has been an active partner in the MESA Community College Program and it has many collaborative STEM initiatives with the UW.
Washington State University
Washington State University (WSU) joins UW as one of the nation’s 50 leading public research institutions. WSU actively seeks diversity in its student body and has relationships with several minority serving institutions. PNW LSAMP at WSU has experienced significant growth. The number of active LSAMP participants, internal campus program partnerships and new industry supporters have also grown. WSU has noticed consistent growth in URM students in STEM each year of the LSAMP grant. Last year, WSU had about 300 students who were active and 122 URMs in STEM who graduated with their STEM degrees. This represents 139% growth in LSAMP graduates with STEM degrees from WSU’s original baseline. WSU plans to leverage its programs by sharing best practices and extending relationships with minority serving institutions to Alliance partner institutions.
2-Year Partner: Yakima Valley College
Yakima Valley College is in Southwestern Washington and serves a predominantly rural, high-poverty community. It has been designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution since 2000, and more than 60% of its students identify as students of color. The campus has been an active partner in the MESA Community College Program and it has many collaborative STEM initiatives with the UW and WSU.
Boise State University
Boise State University (BSU) has posted steadily rising enrollment in all departments, including STEM fields. The BSU LSAMP program has been highly effective at increasing enrollment and bachelor’s degree attainment of underrepresented minority (URM) students. As the LSAMP program grows at Boise State, it is integrating with other university units and initiatives, a strategy that increases both sustainability and effectiveness in supporting URM STEM students. LSAMP partners frequently with the STEM Station, NSF S-STEM Scholars, Advising and Academic Enhancement, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), Organizacion de Estudiantes Latino-Americanos (OELA), Student Diversity and Inclusion, and the Career Center. Joint efforts help students develop strategies for academic and career success and improve retention in STEM fields.
2-Year Partner: College of Southern Idaho
Boise State University has partnered with CSI as it develops its programs and services.
Oregon State University
Oregon State University (OSU) has a deep commitment to increasing the diversity of the University and providing support for all students. The LSAMP program at OSU is administratively supported by the Office of Academic Achievement, in partnership with a wide variety of other programs, offices and colleges from across campus.
OSU LSAMP collaborates with the Office of Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and the Arts (URSA), all five STEM Colleges at OSU and the Educational Opportunities Program (EOP) to provide Industry tours, workshops, research opportunities and academic support to OSU students. The LSAMP Center serves as the hub for all of these activities and a space for students to receive tutoring and academic counseling.
The impact of PNW LSAMP Alliance at OSU has been immense. LSAMP students are leaders in highly visible University and professional societies and have represented OSU with industry and community partners. LSAMP students currently serve on leadership teams, executive councils, within student government and across the university in impactful and inspiring positions. LSAMP students are also members of Ambassadors Teams, elite leadership programs, and represent OSU at recruitment and fundraising events.
LSAMP continues to collaborate with faculty members on grant and research proposals, resulting in undergraduate research and internship opportunities, increased financial support for students and faculty mentoring opportunities.
2-Year Partner: Linn-Benton Community College
Linn-Benton Community College is located just 10 miles to the west of Oregon State University and serves a predominantly rural community. It has transfer agreements with OSU and students are able to earn dual degree credit and reverse transfer degrees while enrolled at OSU. The campus serves an increasing number of Hispanic students.
Portland State University
Portland State University (PSU) is the largest urban university in the Oregon University System. PSU has also become the most diverse among the Oregon University campuses. PSU has a variety of multicultural student services that promote a welcoming, inclusive and diverse environment. LSAMP’s role is unique as a specific resource for the growing number of LSAMP-eligible underrepresented undergraduate students majoring in the STEM fields.
During the last funding period, the PSU LSAMP Program has continued to perform as a dynamic Alliance partner, and has continually met its goals for URM STEM recruitment, transfer transition, degree production, and graduate school preparation. The program has become a leader in STEM retention and STEM education reform initiatives on the PSU campus, giving a voice to underrepresented students with the PSU administration.
2-Year Partner: Portland Community College
The vast majority of PSU’s URM STEM students begin their college careers at PCC. LSAMP significantly strengthened its partnership with PCC to recruit and retain multiple cohorts of talented students prior to their transfer to PSU. These students benefited from mentoring, networking, advocacy, and transfer support. Community college students from these campuses have participated in LSAMP workshops, visited four year campuses for advising and recruitment activities, and participated in PSU LSAMP Leadership Retreats and the PNW LSAMP annual conference.