October 28, 2005
Science Bound bonds with multicultural learning community students
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Science and engineering will come to life when more than 40 Purdue science and engineering students who participate in the university's multicultural learning communities will work on projects with Indianapolis Public Schools students on Saturday (Oct. 29).
The IPS students participate in Science Bound, a five-year program initiated by Purdue President Martin C. Jischke, which provides eligible students an opportunity to earn a four-year tuition scholarship to Purdue to study for a science or engineering-related career. The junior and senior high school students participate in science-related after-school activities, field trips and summer camps to enrich their academic experience.
Purdue students in the Investigating Diversity through Engagement and Service (IDEAS) and Bonding multicultural learning communities include freshmen who are grouped together in classes and residence halls based on similar academic interests and a desire to explore multicultural themes in their courses. The students form a support system to help them succeed in school. They also work on service-learning projects in teams so they can use their skills to address issues in the community.
More than 250 engineering and science freshmen participate in service-learning projects through learning communities. The colleges of Liberal Arts and Consumer and Family Sciences also offer multicultural learning communities.
William C. Oakes, associate professor of engineering education, said the projects give the Purdue students and Science Bound students opportunities to learn from each other.
"Interactive projects like these provide students a great opportunity to apply the skills they learn in the classroom and see how they can impact others with their work," Oakes said. "It also gives the Purdue students a firsthand experience in working with a team and managing a large project."
George Bodner, Arthur Kelly Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Education, said students also gain valuable experience in preparation for their future careers.
"The Bonding learning community allows students to explore the role of science in today's society," Bodner said. "You can't always get that in the classroom as effectively."
The Purdue students also have traveled to Indianapolis to work with the Science Bound students on other demonstrations and experiments. Wesley L. Campbell, Science Bound director, said the Purdue and Science Bound students have enjoyed their time together.
"The Science Bound students see themselves in the Purdue students with whom they are participating on these hands-on activities," Campbell said. "In just two years, the first group of Science Bound students will begin their academic careers at Purdue. I hope they serve as mentors to future Science Bound participants and others, just as the Purdue students are reaching out to them."
Michael Thompson, graduate student in chemistry from Lima, Ohio, said he enjoys working with students in the multicultural learning communities and Science Bound.
"I like to help the Purdue students get some applicable experience that makes their education real to them," Thompson said. "The Science Bound students see Purdue as a place where they can fit in and develop their skills. It's exciting for them to talk to students whose shoes they will fill in a few years."
Minorities make up approximately 40 percent of all students in Purdue's multicultural learning communities. The other 60 percent is composed of Caucasians and international students. Multicultural learning community participants have higher retention rates than comparable non-participants. Minority participant differences are more than 10 percent higher.
The Learning Communities, Access and Retention Programs Department is a subsidiary of the Office of Enrollment Management. Purdue's Multicultural Learning Communities are funded by the Lumina Foundation for Education.
Writer: Marydell Forbes, (765) 496-7704, mforbes@purdue.edu
Sources: Michael Thompson, (765) 494-5312, mthompson@purdue.edu
William C. Oakes, (765) 494-3892, oakes@purdue.edu
George M. Bodner, (765) 494-5313, gmbodner@purdue.edu
Wesley L. Campbell, (765) 494-0018, wesleyl@purdue.edu
Andrew Koch, director of learning communities, access and retention programs, (765) 496-3618, akkoch@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
Note to Journalists: The engineering workshops will take place from 10 a.m. to noon in the mechanical engineering building, rooms 116, 117, 118 and 119. The science workshops will take place from 1-3 p.m. in Wetherill Laboratory of Chemistry, rooms 360, 420 and 421. A complete itinerary of the visit is available. Contact Karen Jurss, administrative assistant for the engineering education, (765) 496-3374, kjurss@purdue.edu.
To the News Service home page