With the support of the Black Opportunities Fund, the Experiential Education Unit (EEU) is pleased to announce a symposium titled Introducing Meyerhoff to UTM: A Model for Improving Academic Outcomes among Black Students in STEM. This in-person symposium will be held on April 10, 2024, from 2:00 pm–5:00 pm in the Collaborative Digital Research Space (Maanjiwe nendamowinan 3230) at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM).
At the symposium, we will reflect on the recent launch of the UTM STEM Scholars Program, a new initiative at the University of Toronto to increase diversity among future leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by identifying and mentoring high-achieving Black students throughout the pathway from high school to graduate school. This is the first access program at a Canadian university to be modeled after the highly successful Meyerhoff Scholars Program at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. The symposium will feature presentations from Meyerhoff Scholars Program staff, including Keith Harmon (Director), Mitsue Wiggs (Assistant Director), Dr. Mariano Sto Domingo (Research and Evaluation Lead), and a current Meyerhoff Scholar. The EEU will provide an overview of the UTM STEM Scholars Program and share preliminary findings from the pilot implementation. Professors Maydianne Andrade (UTSC) and Rhonda McEwen (Victoria University) will highlight approaches towards overcoming the barriers to inclusion of Black students and scholars in STEM fields.
Event Itinerary
Attendance by invitation only. Please RSVP by Friday, March 29, 2024, to James Malinowski, Community Engagement Officer at james.malinowski@utoronto.ca.
2:00 pm–2:10 pm: Opening remarks
- Andreas Bendlin
2:10 pm–3:00 pm: The Meyerhoff Scholars Program
- Keith Harmon: The Meyerhoff model
- Mitsue Wiggs and Daniel Williams: The student experience
- Mariano Sto Domingo: Program assessment and impact
3:00pm–3:15pm: Break
3:15pm-3:35pm: Implementing the STEM Scholars Program at UTM
- Rena Banwait, Adriano Pasquali, and Judith Poe
3:35pm-4:05pm: Overcoming the barriers to inclusion of Black students in STEM (and beyond)
- Maydianne Andrade ("Solving the Lonely Only: The Advantage of a National Coalition for Black in STEMM”) and Rhonda McEwen ("Listening to our Black students – from the Black Research Network")
4:05pm–4:35pm: Q&A and Open Discussion
About the Meyerhoff Scholars Program
The Meyerhoff Scholars Program at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, directed by Keith Harmon, is the top producer of Black graduates who go on to earn a STEM Ph.D. in the U.S. First offered in 1989, the Meyerhoff Scholars Program features 14 key components (including financial support, research experiences, and community-building) that are holistically integrated into undergraduate life to enrich the academic experience of students. It provides students with a comprehensive and persistent academic support system over their four years of undergraduate study, with an emphasis on high-impact research experiences and a strong focus on community-building. To date, the Meyerhoff Scholars Program has served over 1400 students, approximately 85% of whom have either completed or are currently engaged in a graduate or professional degree. In fact, 71 alumni currently hold faculty positions around the world. The University of Maryland Baltimore County is now the top producer of Black graduates who go on to earn a STEM Ph.D. in the U.S.
About the UTM STEM Scholars Program
In acknowledgment of the persisting barriers to inclusion that impact Black students in STEM, UTM piloted the UTM STEM Scholars Program in 2023-24, providing a cohort of incoming Black students with a comprehensive support system to promote academic success in STEM disciplines while intentionally mentoring them along the pathway from high school to graduate school. Following the Meyerhoff model, students admitted to the UTM STEM Scholars Program are offered a full-tuition scholarship, renewable for four years of undergraduate study; are enrolled in a fully funded, 7-week residential Summer Bridge program; receive special tutoring assistance in first-year science courses; have access to academic and personal mentorship throughout their undergraduate career at UTM; and are eligible for paid research opportunities each summer. More than a transition program, the UTM STEM Scholars Program provides ongoing academic supports and access to experiential learning to allow UTM to better retain students from underrepresented communities in STEM programs.