College Programs Overview

 

The Office for Diversity Programs College Programs seeks to enhance the academic environment for underrepresented minority  and female undergraduate  and graduate students in the College of Engineering, as well as to increase the visibility of these students participating in all sectors of engineering through outreach and pre-college programs. The Office manages numerous scholarships that are awarded based on merit and financial need. Also, the program acts as support systems for students and provides students with opportunities for leadership development and professional growth with a focus on academic excellence and peer-related support. The program continues to strive towards the goal of increasing the pool of qualified prepared diverse engineers.

History

Since 1977, Louisiana State University’s College of Engineering has been a leader in providing underrepresented students opportunities to excel in engineering. In an effort to increase the number of students prepared for college, the Recruitment into Engineering of High Ability Minority Students (REHAMS) pre-college program was born. In 1988, the College of Engineering hired the first full time minority engineering coordinator. The program progressed and the Minority Engineering Program (MEP) was formalized in 1991 with a goal of retaining more minority students. Over the years, the services the program has provided have expanded.

Women in Engineering Program (WEP) Office was established in the Spring of 2007. It was established to create a positive change in the engineering environment at LSU, and provide a support structure for women seeking engineering degrees and for girls considering engineering as a college major and/or career.

In the fall of 2009, the programs within the Office were realigned to match program participants with their current educational standing. Thus, the College Programs section was created to handle the undergraduate and graduate aspects of the MEP and WEP offices. This has allowed for the expansion of seminars and  building relationships bewteen student organizations while still allowing the flexibility to have programs that address specific needs of the various affinity groups and stakeholders.

There are many opportunities for you to become involved, find out how your support can help strengthen LSU’s engineering education by visiting our Gift Opportunities page.

Please contact Sarah Jones at (225) 578-5705 or diversity@eng.lsu.edu for more information.