LU to share in science foundation grant

Lincoln University is one of eight Missouri colleges and universities sharing a $5 million National Science Foundation grant to help enroll and graduate more Missouri STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) professionals.

LU officials were unavailable for comment on how the Jefferson City school might use its share of the grant.

Several Missouri higher education leaders joined Gov. Jay Nixon in St. Louis on Wednesday, when he announced the grant at Harris-Stowe University, another of the eight schools sharing in the award.

"This National Science Foundation grant, through the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation program, is a major achievement (for) students across our state," Nixon said.

"By increasing the diversity of students completing their degrees, entering graduate programs, working in research laboratories and mentoring the next generation of STEM students, (the schools in) the Missouri Alliance are building a foundation for increased diversity in STEM education across the nation."

The other six schools are: the University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg; Truman State University, Kirksville; the University of Missouri campuses in Columbia and St. Louis; Washington University, St. Louis; and the Center for Plant and Life Sciences at St. Louis Community College.

Many of the fastest-growing, highest-paying careers require skills in the STEM areas, so the Nixon administration and education leaders have "worked to expand access to hands-on, science-based programs like Project Lead the Way," he said.

Through Project Lead the Way, Missouri now ranks fourth in the country in the number of programs, offering 617 programs to 480 participating schools. Missouri's rate of growth in the program ranks behind only California and Texas.

And Missouri leads the country in Project Lead the Way computer science programs, and is second behind California in new elementary school programs.

Missouri also houses the third most biomedical science programs of any state. Project Lead the Way began in Missouri in 2002 with just one participating school.

The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program is named for former U.S. Rep. Louis Stokes, D-Ohio, who helped focus federal attention on the nation's poor and underserved communities.

Stokes' name was added to the program title after he retired from Congress in 1999. He died last year.