Assessment of the LSAMP Program at Oregon State University

The population of minority groups is on the rise in the US, yet still minorities are not proportionally represented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Of these minorities there are 4 races/ethnicities that are vastly under represented: Blacks, Hispanics, American Indians/Native Alaskans, and Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders. For the US to stay competitive in STEM fields, these underrepresented minorities (URM) must increase their presence in such fields so that their unique backgrounds can contribute to future discoveries and inventions. A homogeneous talent pool cannot generate the creativity needed to support such a diverse population as in the US. Companies and the US government has urged the education system to increase the amount of URM talent within STEM fields. The Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) aims to increase the quantity and quality of URM student education in STEM majors. The LSAMP program at Oregon State University (OSU) is correlated with a positive effect on URM students in STEM majors by positively influencing: STEM retention rate, GPA, and university academic standing