Recruiting
Underrepresented
Minorities
Finding the key. . .
Maricel Quintana-Baker, Ph.D.
State Council of Higher Education (SCHEV)
The global perspective. . .
In 2000, North American
universities produced less
than half of the world’s
science and engineering
degrees
SCHEV
Maricel Quintana-Baker, Ph.D.
That global marketplace is
“here” in our backyard!
• In Northern Virginia, a public high
school in Annandale has students
from 72 different countries;
• In 2002, ESL students enrolled in
Virginia public schools spoke more
than 110 different languages
SCHEV
Maricel Quintana-Baker, Ph.D.
Increased Diversity . . .
By 2025, our US population will
have 72 million more people—of
those, there will be:
• 32 million Hispanics
• 12 million African Americans
• 7 million Asian Americans
SCHEV
Maricel Quintana-Baker, Ph.D.
2004 U.S. Educational Attainment
(% of Specific Population)
All fields
Asians
Blacks Hispanics White,
Non-Hisp.
iiiiiii
Bachelor’s 29.9%
12.3% 8.8%
19.8%
Master’s
12.2%
4.1%
2.2%
7.6%
Doctoral
3.6%
.05%
.04%
1.4%
SCHEV
Maricel Quintana-Baker, Ph.D.
Earned STEM Doctorates in
2003
Total (all U.S.)
14,571
100%
Asian, Pacific Islander
1,030
7% *
612
654
71
4.2% *
4.5% *
- 1% *
Black
Hispanic
American Indian
* % of relevant population
SCHEV
Maricel Quintana-Baker, Ph.D.
STEM Doctorates Granted by
VSGC Members . . .2003
College of William & Mary
20
Hampton University
3
Old Dominion University
16
University of Virginia
55
Virginia Tech
32
All VA Institutions Combined 172
SCHEV
Maricel Quintana-Baker, Ph.D.
“Increasing the participation
of underrepresented minorities
(in STEM) is critical to the health
of this country. No first-class
world nation can maintain the
health of its economy or society
when such a large part of its
population remains outside
scientific and technological
endeavors”
Richard Tapia, Ph.D., Rice University, at http://ceee.rice.edu/Books/DV/continuum/index.html
SCHEV
Maricel Quintana-Baker, Ph.D.
Underrepresented Minorities
Currently Enrolled in Virginia’s
Colleges & Universities
American Indian
SCHEV
2,233
Blacks
80,684
Hispanics
14,946
Maricel Quintana-Baker, Ph.D.
Action!!
Study Best Practices
Have a Plan with Strategies
Identify who will be helpful
Create collaborative relationships
Person to person contact works best
SCHEV
Maricel Quintana-Baker, Ph.D.
Best Practices
Look at what other players are doing
We can all probably name a few proven
best practices, like . . .
Research opportunities
Mentoring
Academic & heuristic support
Be willing to share your secrets
Be prepared to sing your own praises!
SCHEV
Maricel Quintana-Baker, Ph.D.
Your Plan is Your Road Map!
Establish Goals and Measurable
Objectives
Develop a Strategy for Accomplishing
Each Objective
Establish a Time-line and a Target
Date for your Objectives
SCHEV
Maricel Quintana-Baker, Ph.D.
Who’s traveling with you on
this Journey?
It’s all about NETWORKING
It’s all about knocking on all the
possible doors
It’s all about knocking on the door to
see who’s behind it
It’s all about relationship building
It’s all about finding the CHAMPIONS
SCHEV
Maricel Quintana-Baker, Ph.D.
Who’s Going to Help You
Knock On All Those Doors?
Current students are a good source
for new Students
Colleagues at other institutions are
also good sources of referrals
Key people INSIDE your institution
Key people/organizations OUTSIDE
your institution—in the community
SCHEV
Maricel Quintana-Baker, Ph.D.
Creating a Network of Links
Who’s out there? Where do you look?
Professional organizations
Government programs aimed at
increasing underrepresented minorities
Campus groups and organizations
Community organizations
Special events
Conferences and meetings
SCHEV
Maricel Quintana-Baker, Ph.D.
Professional Organizations. . .
 American Society of Mechanical Engineers
(ASME) Board on Minorities & Women
 Center for the Advancement of Hispanics
in Science & Engineering Education
(CAHSEE)
 National Council of Black Engineers &
Scientists (NCEBS)
 Association for Women in Science (AWIS)
See handout for others. . .
SCHEV
Maricel Quintana-Baker, Ph.D.
Government Programs to Increase
Underrepresented Minorities. . .
 NASA:
 Science & Technology Institute for Minority
Institutions
 UNCF Special Programs Corporation
 NSF:
 Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation
(LSAMP)
 The Alliances for Graduate Education and the
Professoriate (AGEP)
 Model Institutions for Excellence (MIE)
SCHEV
Maricel Quintana-Baker, Ph.D.See
Handout for others. . .
Campus Groups & Organizations
Professional organizations with
campus chapters, such as
The Society of Professional
Hispanic Engineers (SHPE)
Graduate Women in Science-Sigma
Delta Epsilon (GWIS)
See Handout for others. . .
SCHEV
Maricel Quintana-Baker, Ph.D.
Community Organizations
 Boy Scouts -for example
Eagle Scouts have special qualities that
enable them to reach that level.
 Museums—especially science museums
usually have targeted activities
 Competitions and Fairs —by the American
Mathematical Association, the National
Science Teachers Association, the
Engineering Education Service Center PreEngineering Competitions.
SCHEV
Maricel Quintana-Baker, Ph.D.
Special Events. . .
Did you know that. . .
Every year there’s a Pi Day?
Every year the third week of
November is Geography Awareness
Week?
Every year engineers celebrate
National Engineers Week in
February?
SCHEV
Maricel Quintana-Baker, Ph.D.
Conferences & Meetings
Most national professional organizations
have meetings that students attend.
For example:
SACNAS-Society for the
Advancement of Chicano and Native
American Scientists
GEM-National Consortium for
Graduate Degrees for Minorities in
Engineering and Science.
SCHEV
Maricel Quintana-Baker, Ph.D.
Think Creatively!!
(If you were a young budding scientist,
where would you be hiding??
 Make a list of the schools from where
current and past students have come—
recruit there!
 Work the crowd—Are you going to a
national conference? Post a notice and hold
interviews/conversations with the talented
students there!!
 Make friends– create your own network of
department chairs and other contacts!!
SCHEV
Maricel Quintana-Baker, Ph.D.
Become a Champion and
Clone Yourself!!!
You must have PASSION!
Passion is contagious!
You have to talk the talk and walk the
walk and preach, preach, preach!!!
Soon, you’ll see other CHAMPIONS
emerging.
The power of collaboration and your
passion will be the KEY!
SCHEV
Maricel Quintana-Baker, Ph.D.