Date: August 15, 2007
Contact: Carol Connelly, Director, Media & Communication Services, ext. 5267, cconnelly@pnc.edu

PNC Joins Louis Stokes Alliance Minority Program Project

WESTVILLE – Purdue University North Central has been named a participant in the Louis Stokes Alliance Minority Program (LSAMP) Indiana project.

LSAMP is sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to enhance the participation of underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The participating Indiana universities include Purdue North Central, Purdue Calumet, Purdue West Lafayette, Ball State University, Indiana State University, Indiana University and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. They will share a $3 million grant during the next five years.

PNC LSAMP Director Dr. Sharron Jenkins, assistant professor of Chemistry, and LSAMP Star Coordinator, Dr. Rosa Rivera-Hainaj, assistant professor of Chemistry, will have an informational meeting on Tuesday Sept. 11 in Library-Student-Faculty Building Assembly Hall, Room 02 at noon to further explain the program and its goals.

“We want to ensure that LSAMP at PNC provides our students with the necessary tools to prosper, compete and thrive in the STEM fields of their choice,” explained Jenkins. “One goal of the program is to set up programs and activities during the next five years that will help improve the retention and graduation of students so that we may improve the number of such degrees awarded to ethnic minority students.”

The program will also provide stipends, research opportunities, tutoring and mentoring to LSAMP students in an effort to help student complete a four-year degree and transition into graduate school or other careers, said Jenkins.

Further information can be obtained by contacting Jenkins at 800-872-1231,, ext. 5206 or Rivera-Hainaj at 800-872-1231, ext. 5204 or visit http://www.purdue.edu/lsamp/ . Persons with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Jenkins or Rivera-Hainaj.

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