The Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) is an initiative funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) which is intended to double the number of African-American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, Alaska Native and Pacific Islander students receiving baccalaureate degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) in a five-year period. In Minnesota, the LSAMP program is called the North Star STEM Alliance, which is a partnership of sixteen higher education institutions. Augsburg’s LSAMP program is designed to help STEM students succeed through peer mentoring, workshops, research opportunities, and industry visits.
North Star STEM Alliance Goals
- Double the number of underrepresented students receiving bachelor’s degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math among partner institutions in a five-year period.
- Develop an alliance of collegiate institutions and community organizations working toward increasing the likelihood of success of underrepresented students working toward the bachelor’s degree.
- Foster institutional change toward greater diversity and inclusion on partner campuses.
North Star STEM Alliance Objectives
To increase the number of African-American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, Alaska Native and Pacific Islander students receiving STEM baccalaureates, the North Star STEM Alliance has identified the following objectives:
- Support student achievement via study groups, tutoring, and supplemental instruction.
- Engage students more deeply in their fields through faculty mentorship and research opportunities.
- Explore career directions at 4-year colleges, in industry, and graduate school.
- Build community through social networking, peer mentorship, and student organizations.
To achieve these objectives, the North Star STEM Alliance will provide comprehensive, long-term initiatives that include alliance-wide community building conferences, peer-to-peer learning, undergraduate research opportunities, programs to help students successfully bridge to college and university-level STEM programs, industry internships, professional development, and publicity of current research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.