July 16, 2007
Purdue partnership with Indianapolis schools addresses national need
Educators and business leaders are forecasting a crisis in the United States. The national Science Foundation predicts that more than 90 percent of the world's scientists and engineers will live in Asia by 2010. It is critical that America place a greater emphasis on K-12 education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.To address this need and to foster an increasingly diverse academic climate, Purdue University has teamed with the Indianapolis Public Schools and the Indianapolis business community on a unique initiative called Science Bound. Initiated by former Purdue President Martin C. Jischke, and with the full support of Purdue President France Córdova, Science Bound mentors eighth-grade to 12th-grade IPS students. Upon acceptance, they receive an opportunity to earn a full-tuition scholarship to Purdue to study in an approved technical field.
Twenty-five of the students have done just that. They will begin classes Aug. 20.
To prepare for science-related studies at Purdue, the students have participated in after-school academic enrichment activities and field trips, including anthropological digs, career fairs and summer camps sponsored by Purdue academic departments. They also completed internships last summer with Purdue professors or Indianapolis businesses, many of whom also provided scholarship funding.
This program, which could be launched only with the generous support of the Indianapolis community and the tireless commitment of parents and teachers, has exceeded our loftiest expectations. Most Science Bound students are the first in their families to attend college. In fact, the program has been so successful that some Science Bound parents are working toward earning a college degree themselves.
Allias Jones, who graduated from Arsenal Technical High School in Indianapolis, plans to study engineering at Purdue. He said the hands-on experience he gained during an on-campus internship last summer with the chemical engineering department will serve him well in the classroom.
"Science Bound also has given me experiences that I wouldn't otherwise have, such as meeting engineers in the field," Jones said. "It's a great program that I would recommend to every IPS student in junior high who is considering it."
The enthusiasm of Jones and his Science Bound classmates is contagious. Before Purdue initiated the program, an average of only 30 students from the entire IPS system enrolled at Purdue each year. The program alone has helped double that number. Plus, 250 students from eighth grade through high school will continue with Science Bound in the fall, ensuring a steady pipeline of IPS students studying technical disciplines.
With the continued support of IPS and the Indianapolis business community, Purdue will continue to do its part to respond to the complex challenge of encouraging more students, especially those from underrepresented populations who might not otherwise consider college, to pursue a science-related career. Our future depends on it.
Wesley L. Campbell serves as Purdue University's Science Bound director. He coordinates the university's efforts to reach out to Indianapolis Public School students and encourage them to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
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