Today, the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) CURE Scholars Program received the 2020 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. The Inspiring Programs in STEM Award honors colleges and universities that encourage and assist students from underrepresented groups to enter the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). UMB will be featured, along with 49 other recipients, in the September 2020 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.
Inspiring Programs in STEM Award winners were selected by INSIGHT Into Diversity based on efforts to inspire and encourage a new generation of young people to consider careers in STEM through mentoring, teaching, research, and successful programs and initiatives.
“It’s truly an honor to be recognized as an inspiring STEM program,” said CURE Scholars Program executive director Gia Grier McGinnis, DrPH, MS. “It’s a reflection of UMB’s commitment to producing the next generation of health care and STEM leaders through engaging year-round programming, high-quality mentoring, and strong social support services.”
INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine selected the UMB CURE Scholars Program because it is the first National Cancer Institute’s Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (CURE) pipeline program to offer year-round mentorship, STEM programming, tutoring, and hands on learning opportunities to students as young as sixth grade. The program prepares students in West Baltimore for competitive and rewarding research, STEM, and health care career opportunities.
The UMB CURE Scholars Program identifies sixth graders with an interest in science from three West Baltimore middle schools and supports these scholars throughout middle school, high school, and beyond. Scholars are selected based on their commitment to a long-term program and not based on academic performance measures. Through rich scientific opportunities, scholars gain presentation experience, academic growth, self-confidence, and the motivation necessary to succeed. The ultimate goal is to increase the pool of under-represented minorities pursuing careers in STEM, health care, and cancer research.
UMB's program is supported in part by the University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center and through funding from a Science Education Partnership Award and a National Cancer Institute grant. Currently, students in sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth grades engage in after-school hands-on experiments; Saturday tutoring and life skill development workshops; and a comprehensive summer academic enrichment several times a week. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, the UMB CURE Scholars program has been able to continue offering all of these STEM opportunities but adapted to fit a virtual setting.
The program will be introducing a Career Navigators component in fall 2020 which is geared toward 11th and 12th grade students. Career Navigators will support the scholars with submitting college applications, navigating financial aid forms, acquiring internships and apprenticeships, and connecting with STEM professionals working in their area of interest.
“We know that many STEM programs are not always recognized for their success, dedication, and mentorship for underrepresented students,” says Lenore Pearlstein, owner and publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. “We want to honor the schools and organizations that have created programs that inspire and encourage young people who may currently be in or are interested in a future career in STEM. We are proud to honor these programs as role models to other institutions of higher education and beyond.”
A call for nominations for this award was announced in April 2020.
For more information about the 2020 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award and INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, visit insightintodiversity.com.
About the University of Maryland, Baltimore
Founded in 1807, the University of Maryland, Baltimore is Maryland’s only public health, law, and human services university, dedicated to excellence in education, research, clinical care, and public service. UMB enrolls 6,700 students in six nationally ranked professional schools — medicine, law, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, and social work — and an interdisciplinary Graduate School. The university provides more than $40 million each year in uncompensated
care to Maryland citizens, and receives more than $667 million in extramural research funding annually. For more information about the University of Maryland, Baltimore visit www.umaryland.edu.
About INSIGHT Into Diversity
INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine is the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education today and is known for its annual INSIGHT Into Diversity Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award, the only award that recognizes colleges and universities for outstanding diversity and inclusion efforts across their campuses. INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine presents timely, thought-provoking news and feature stories on matters of diversity and inclusion in higher education and beyond. Articles include interviews with innovators and experts, as well as explorations of best practices and profiles of exemplary programs. In our Career Center, readers will also discover career opportunities that connect job seekers with institutions and businesses that embrace a diverse and inclusive workforce. Current, archived, and digital issues of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine are available online at insightintodiversity.com.
