UT Permian Basin leads the way in supporting Hispanic students in STEM education
Partnered with three other institutions of higher education, The University of Texas Permian Basin has received a $100,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to host the
Co-lead by Dr. Selina Mireles, dean of the College Education at UT Permian Basin, the goal of the conference is to gather educational leaders from across the country to discuss National Science Foundation (NSF) initiatives that specifically target Hispanics.
According to Dr. Mireles, colleges and universities that are designated as Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) must be responsive to the needs of Hispanic students. The ultimate goal is to identify the most critical challenges and opportunities regarding undergraduate STEM studies for Hispanic students and create effective programs and strategies to recruit, retain, and graduate Hispanics in
"The Permian Basin is unique because it embodies rural, border, and migrant characteristics with a focus on energy. UTPB is at the forefront of research and services that address these national concerns,” said Dr. Mireles. "Moreover, at UTPB, we can strategically address natural manifestations of
UT Permian Basin proudly embraces the HSI designation since 44% of the UTPB student body is Hispanic. Our commitment to represent the specific needs of West Texas remains strong. With Dr. Mireles serving as co-Principal Investigator on this project, there is clear, direct and intentional consideration by the NSF for Hispanics in STEM fields in West Texas.
The PROMISE conference will take place in March at Laredo Community College. Along with UTPB and LCC, other founding institutions include Texas A & M International University and Texas A & M University-Kingsville. These four institutions responded to the call by organizing the conference to bring together key stakeholders in undergraduate STEM education. The conference will convene faculty and administrators from over 83 public and private colleges, universities, community-based organizations and business entities in addition to at least 100 virtual participants.
For more information about PROMISE, contact mireles_s@utpb.edu.
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