Multicultural Engineering Program (MEP) Programs

SUMmer Minority Engineering Training Program (SUMMET) Webpage
SUMMET began in 1971 by a group of six faculty members who were concerned about the low enrollment of multicultural students in engineering. During the one-week program, students performed small experiments and investigated engineering concepts with the professors. Six to ten Denver area students were selected to participate in the activities.

In 1991, the program was awarded a Program of Excellence (POE) grant from the Colorado Commission of Higher Education (CCHE). The grant allowed the further development and improvement of the program. One of these improvements was to increase enrollment to 60 students. The other was the full implementation of the two-week academic and two-week group project curriculum. The POE grant ended in 1995.

During summer 2002, thirty-nine high school juniors and seniors participated in the three-week residential session. Throughout the years, it is estimated that over twelve hundred students have benefited from the SUMMET program.

SEED
Started this summer (2010), the Summer Engineering Education & Development (SEED) is a collaboration between Skinner Middle School (http://skinner.dpsk12.org/), Denver Public School, to introduce 6th graders to engineering through hands on projects, field trips and competition. The 2010 camp introduced civil engineering and geophysics to the students.

MESA Jamboree
In collaboration with Admissions and WISEM, MEP sponsors this annual event for the high school students, who are in MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (http://www.cmesa.org/about.html). This event is a full day of science, engineering and math competition. It normally attracts over 250 students and teachers.

Exploring Engineering Double E
A program, which started in Fall 2009, directed at introducing the engineering discipline to high school freshmen. It is a large collaboration between MEP, Boyscouts, Lincoln HS, Lockheed Martin, Johnson Elementary School and Catholic Charities. This six week course is an after-school program with engineering projects (Tues), field trips (Wed) and having the students teach younger (2nd/3rd graders) students the engineering concepts through project work (Thurs).

High School Visits and Recruiting
Because our office coordinates directly with the Office of Admissions, MEP staff recruits at college fairs within Denver Public Schools and surrounding metro areas. Several hundred prospective students interact with MEP staff.

On Campus Visits
Working with the Admissions office, MEP hosted numerous pre-college groups throughout the year. A student ambassador from Admissions would give a campus tour, and then a group of four to six MEP students would sit on a student panel for our visitors. MEP also coordinated with USGS Earthquake Center and/or Geology Museum to present to visitors in Berthoud Hall.

Challenge Program
First established at CSM in 1989, Challenge is a four-week summer academic transitional bridge program for selected freshmen who otherwise may not qualify to attend the school. The objective of the Challenge program is to introduce multicultural students to and prepare them for the academic rigors of Colorado School of Mines, including "gate keeping" courses such as Calculus and Chemistry. The students learn Mathematics 100 and Chemistry 111 (respectively prerequisites for Calculus 121 and Chemistry 121) from CSM faculty and earn academic credit for their work. Physics 099 was introduced in the summer 2010. Other than transportation to CSM and personal spending money, the selected students attend the program for a small charge.

Challenge students indicate a strong probability of success in college but due to curriculum choices, college exam results, strength of high school or various factors, would likely be denied admission to CSM without the opportunity to prove themselves in the program. Challenge students must successfully complete the program in order to be admitted to CSM in the Fall.

MEP Freshman and Transfer Student Retreat
Each fall semester the Multicultural Engineering Program sponsors a Freshman and Transfer Student Retreat. Freshmen and transfer students learn the secrets of engineering success from several CSM upper-class volunteers. There are also engineering competitions and support.

Integral
In its first year (2010), this early fall program helps incoming freshmen, who are multicultural, first generation, or low income to adjust to college through a math review of algebra, trigonometry, and pre-Calculus. There are also presentations by Financial Aid, Career Center, Corporate Representatives and upperclassmen panel to help students come to college well prepared and ready to start on the first day.

CSM 101
In conjunction with Student Development and Academic Counseling, we have sections of CSM 101 (required college introduction class of all incoming freshmen) every semester to help them transition to college. Classroom learning outcomes are:

- Feel further connected to the campus community,

- Demonstrate active engagement in the campus community via social, academic, and personal involvement,

- Be able to articulate an awareness of campus resources and policies,

- Formulate and revise academic and career goals,

- Gain a personal understanding of learning styles, skills, and strengths,

- Be able to identify and communicate personal values related to wellness.

Welcome Week Activities
A series of social activities beginning the 1st week of class. The week starts with a delivery of the goodies bags (highlighter, pen, sticky note pad, etc) to freshmen or new transfer living in campus housing. Each organization is responsible for a social event on different days. Some of the events are dodgeball, soccer, volleyball, kickball, movie night, etc. Attendance ranges from 50-100 at each event.

Exam Simulation Program (ESP)
Now in its eighth year, this program alleviates students' test-taking anxiety. Participants take a simulation exam several days before the actual test. Facilitated by an upperclassman in association with professors, new students prepare for Calculus, Chemistry and Physics. Students taking the exam have numbered in the hundreds each semester.

Academic Counseling and Tracking
MEP is able to closely monitor students academics throughout their first year. MEP staff maintains an open door policy to meet individually with students who may be experiencing academic or social difficulties. Throughout the year, staff mentors also help to monitor student progress every two weeks, in addition to those in CSM 101.

Annual Awards Banquet
MEP celebrated twenty-two years of success with this year's banquet in May 2010. The event, organized by MEP students, honors graduating seniors. More than 250 students, staff and corporate representatives attend.

Work Interview Resume Experience Day "WIRED" (2008 Fall)
Corporate recruiters are available to critique student resumes and conduct mock interviews one on one. Students bring their Resumes and come ready to get some very valuable help from experienced recruiters. MEP works with the Career Center to promote and facilitate the interviews. The events regularly has over 250 sessions with corporate recruiters.

Four Student Organizations Support
Four student professional societies are supported by the Multicultural Engineering Program office: AmericanIndian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), Professional Asian Society of Engineers and Scientists (PASES), National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE). Our chapters are nationally recognized and students are supported and encouraged to attend regional and national conferences. MEP provides mentorships to each student executive board (such as Leadership Retreat), advertisement, financial support, base of operations, coordinated activities and overall guidance to each group.

More detailed information on the groups can be found by clicking on their respective web sites.

INROADS
Working with the non-profit organization, INROADS (http://www.inroads.org/), we have place many students with internships and permanent positions from Lockheed, Shell, Halliburton and many others.

Corporate presentations
We work with corporate recruiters to sponsors info sessions and presentation in front of MEP students and the wider student body.

Leadership Retreat
A full-day retreat for the incoming and outgoing executive board of the student organizations. It ranges from planning next year's schedule to issues covering communication, delegation and management. A major workproduct that comes from this retreat is MEP calendar (Version 1.0) for the following school year.

NSBE - Recruitment Weekend
During the CSM homecoming weekend, NSBE with help from the other MEP groups invite high school student to spend a night and day on campus. They have social and engineering events. The high school students also attend some of the athletic games.