The 2024 recipients of the Insight Into Diversity Inspiring Programs in STEM Award include colleges, universities, nonprofits, and companies from around the country whose innovative programs, conferences, summer camps and collaborations are making meaningful contributions that impact the success of underrepresented students pursuing careers in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. Through mentorship and research, culturally relevant instruction and immersive experiences, these institutions are encouraging the next generation of institutions are encouraging the next generation of young people to reach their STEM career goals.

The full list of 2024 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award winners can be found here.

Eastern Washington University College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Inclusive Teaching Academy

The Inclusive Teaching Academy (ITA) at Eastern Washington University College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics provides a collaborative space for college instructors across various STEM disciplines to enhance their teaching practices with a focus on equity and inclusion.

The ITA fosters a supportive environment where instructors can share experiences and innovate in teaching, breaking down the usual departmental barriers. Each year, instructors share their course materials for a lesson study aimed at improving student engagement and achievement through “equity strands” such as standards-based instruction, complex instruction, culturally relevant pedagogy, and teaching for social justice. This collaboration even extends to incorporating resources like drone technology for real-time data gathering, enriching the teaching material.

Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences Native Explorers Program

“There is no greater joy than watching Native American youth discover their potential in STEM through an Indigenous lens. Everything is waiting to be discovered — whether in the earth, in the sky, or in nature. Native Explorers is helping to create opportunities for Native Americans to contribute to STEM fields.” Kent Smith, PhD, associate dean and professor, Office of American Indians in Medicine and Science at OSU-CHS and the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Tulsa, Oklahoma.

University of South Carolina College of Engineering and Computing First-Generation Summer Start Scholars Program

The University of South Carolina College of Engineering and Computing is committed to diversifying the STEM field through the First-Generation Summer Start Scholars Program, which welcomes 20 students annually to a three-week residential summer program offering a comprehensive suite of resources. To learn more about this exciting program, visit their website.

Kansas City University JUMP-Start

When Deborah Dele-Oni and Qwynton Johnson arrived at Kansas City University (KCU) as first year osteopathic medical students, they wanted to make it easier for other underrepresented pre-med students to pursue the program. The pair developed JUMP-Start, Journey for Underrepresented Students in Medicine Program, a free, student-organized and executed conference for undergraduates from marginalized groups who have an interest in attending medical school but may not have access to the necessary resources to succeed. KCU faculty members joined the program that includes mentorship, case presentations, curriculum information, how to take a medical history, a suture clinic, and identity workshops. Additionally, participants receive free books and online courses on MCAT test preparation.

St. Mary’s University School of Science, Engineering and Technology First-Generation Summer Start Scholars Program

St. Mary’s University in San Antonio welcomes high school students to its annual one-week School of Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) Summer Tech Camps that offer an immersive and hands-on educational experience featuring a range of cutting-edge topics including game development, mobile programming, cybersecurity, Python programming, computational thinking, 3D printing, Java programming, web development, and robotics. Explore more about the camps on their website.

Adelphi University Adelphi Summer Institute in Mathematical Epidemiology

The Adelphi Summer Institute in Mathematical Epidemiology offers high school sophomores to seniors a five-week, immersive, in-person day camp experience. Participants engage in research using statistics and computer science to analyze real-world data on diseases like cancer and COVID-19. Working with Adelphi professors and research assistants, students tackle projects from the epidemiology of ALS, Parkinson’s, and heart disease to infectious disease modeling.

“ASIME students gain confidence in their ability to face messy, challenging problems that aren’t found in a book or a YouTube video.” Anil Venkatesh, PhD, Assistant Professor, Mathematics and Computer Science, College of Arts and Sciences, Adelphi University

University of Georgia School of Veterinary Medicine Tifton Veterinary Diagnostic & Investigational Laboratory

The Tifton Veterinary Diagnostic & Investigational Laboratory (TVDIL) at the University of Georgia School of Veterinary Medicine, is tackling the regional shortage of veterinarians by addressing the underrepresentation of rural South Georgia students in veterinary schools. The laboratory collaborates with institutions such as Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and Valdosta State University to provide enriching workshops designed for 4H, undergraduate, and veterinary technology students, focusing on career advice and veterinary school applications. These one-day workshops include presentations from veterinary professionals, lab tours, and shadowing opportunities. Additionally, the laboratory hosts undergraduate internship programs focused on research under faculty mentorship, which have led to a significant increase in their subsequent admissions to vet schools and employment in related fields, indicating a promising impact on addressing the veterinary shortage in rural areas.

Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center at University of North Carolina Greensboro STEPS Broadening Participation

Stainability (STEPS) Center tackles the phosphorus sustainability challenges that disproportionately impact underrepresented minority populations, by integrating scientists, engineers, and social scientists to develop methods for phosphorus recovery, recycling, and reuse. Through partnerships with minority-serving institutions and HBCUs, STEPS offers extensive student research opportunities and enhances underrepresented minority retention by addressing common educational hurdles through mentorship networks, individualized development plans, and workshops aimed at boosting self-efficacy and career readiness. Additionally, STEPS promotes positive cultural change within labs and broader academic settings by implementing inclusive best practices and fostering a supportive community ethos.

Indiana University Indianapolis School of Education Girls STEM Institute

Indiana University Indianapolis (IUI) School of Education organized the Girls STEM Institute (GSI) over a decade ago. Through GSI, young girls from historically marginalized groups are empowered to embrace STEM exploration and live their best lives through an integration of inquiry-based learning with overall wellness and wellbeing components. GSI fosters culturally grounded curricula through hands-on experiential learning; instills the confidence in young girls to pursue STEM-related careers or extracurricular activities by providing interaction with STEM professionals; empowers participants to consider how inequalities can be addressed using STEM concepts and problem-solving.

“Dr. Morton, I thank you for opening this program for young girls and teens so that we are able to experience a lot of things that we may have never experienced before.” Brandis Smith, senior scholar

Washington State University Tri-Cities Empowering the Future Energy Workforce Program

Washington State University Tri-Cities is connecting underserved students to the energy and climate science industry through their Empowering the Future Energy Workforce program, which focuses on retaining minority and first-generation students by offering mentorships and careerconnected learning opportunities in renewable energy sectors. To find out more about their innovative curricula, visit their website.

University of Arkansas Health Career University HBCU MedTrack Serving Under-Represented Population through Engagement and Research (SUPER)

The S.U.P.E.R. Project, an innovative part of the HBCU Med Track Program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is pioneering efforts to enhance health equity by offering undergraduate students from underrepresented backgrounds a robust public health education and hands-on community research experience focusing on health disparities among medically underserved populations in Arkansas.

Participants, who can be enrolled in any 4-year public university in Arkansas, engage in summer training institutes, research with faculty mentors, and community engagement to promote healthier lifestyle choices across the state, thereby aiming to improve the overall population health. The program culminates in student conference presentations and a final literature review.

Kansas State University College of Architecture, Planning and Design APDesign Society We Serve Initiative

In 2021, land-grant institution Kansas State University (K-State) launched the APDesign Society We Serve Initiative to support outreach, recruitment, retention, and belonging activities for prospective and current students in the College of Architecture, Planning and Design, with the intention of being ‘more reflective of the diverse society we serve,’ explain K-State leadership. The initiative develops relationships that last into a student’s career and help close student support gaps to increase the representative diversity in fields of architecture, including landscape architecture, interior architecture, industrial design, and community planning.

Brown University Warren Alpert Medical School Rhode to Medicine

Rhode to Medicine is a vital pathway program focusing on inclusion, particularly targeting low-income and first-generation pre-med students from underrepresented backgrounds in the Rhode Island area. This initiative caters to rising juniors and seniors from the University of Rhode Island, Providence College, and Rhode Island College.

As Brown University holds the unique position of being the only medical school in the state, the program aims to bridge the gap for students lacking public medical school options, providing essential mentoring and academic guidance. It features a 4-week summer course offering a condensed medical school experience complete with lectures, panels on medical school applications, and direct mentorship from Brown’s current medical students.

“Rhode to Medicine was an early introduction to what medical school may look like during the early days while also showing me where I could end up by introducing me to medical professionals who I could relate to.” Keyline Moreno, a 2021 Rhode to Medicine participant accepted at Howard University College of Medicine beginning fall 2024.

Oklahoma State University Office of American Indians in Medicine and Science Native Pathways Programs

The Office of American Indians in Medicine and Science (AIMS), operating through the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences and the College of Osteopathic Medicine in Tulsa and Tahlequah, offers programs to middle and high schools — particularly targeting schools with high American Indian student populations — that stimulate interest in science and medicine through interactive lessons and hands-on experiences with human organs. For high school students, AIMS also provides research internships, advanced STEM courses, and one-day immersion camps to expose students to medical practices and encourage the pursuit of medical and STEM careers.

University of Georgia Pre-Professional Office First Responder Health Disparity Awareness Program

The University of Georgia (UGA) PreProfessional Office introduced the First Responder Health Disparity Awareness Program as a collaborative effort involving first responder organizations in order to foster engagement, facilitate co-mentorship, promote understanding of health and inclusion disparities through service-learning and research, and deepen student understanding of the diverse communities they will serve in their future healthcare roles. Learn more about the program on their website. 

Arizona State University Migratory Student Summer Academy

The Migratory Student Summer Academy (MSSA) is a week-long residential program at Arizona State University (ASU) for high school-aged children of Arizona’s migrant seasonal farmworkers. It focuses on STEM education, creative problem solving, and leadership development through interactive workshops, hands-on STEM instruction, and sociocultural enrichment in a camp setting. The program enhances skills, boosts higher education success, and increases career awareness in STEM fields, supporting ASU’s commitment to diverse educational programs. The summer academy has an especially strong partnership with the Arizona Department of Education, which helps fund the academy.

“The Migratory Student Summer Academy hopes to motivate the children of Arizona’s migrant seasonal workers, a group that has historically been left out of higher education. Our program has two primary goals: to get students excited about college and to spark their interest in careers in STEM.” Gilberto Lopez, PhD, Charter Professor, School of Transborders Studies, MSSA Co-Director