Rice University has launched a new pilot program aimed at expanding access to educational opportunities for STEM students across the greater Houston area.
Called Take Flight STEM Pathway, the program is the product of a year-long effort and partnership between Rice, San Jacinto College and Lone Star College to expand education access and increase the number of students who complete STEM degrees.
“The health and vibrancy of the local and national economies, and our ability to address society’s most pressing issues, depend on an educated STEM workforce,” said Rice Associate Provost Matthew Taylor. “As a dynamic research university that’s blessed with a world-class faculty, cutting-edge STEM research programs and a large endowment, Rice has a role to play in meeting the STEM challenge.”
Through the Take Flight STEM Pathway program, select STEM honor students from Lone Star and San Jacinto colleges will benefit from:
- Completing a set of core STEM courses and an Associate’s Degree at Lone Star or San Jacinto colleges.
- Coordinated academic advising from faculty and staff at their respective schools and from faculty and staff advisors at Rice.
- Participating in paid, full-time summer research experiences (REU) on Rice’s campus
- And, if admitted to Rice, taking part in a summer transition program that includes earning Rice credit. This part of the program will begin next summer.
The second component of the program is directed at San Jacinto and Lone Star college STEM students who are not yet ready to graduate. The goal of this portion of the program is to deepen students’ interest in STEM so that many of them become the next cohort of Take Flight STEM Pathway students who go on to Rice or other four-year universities. These students will benefit from a variety of activities including:
- Access to special lectures (online and in-person) on a range of cutting-edge science and engineering research topics and programs.
- Access to online information sessions hosted by Rice Admissions and by the schools of Engineering and Natural Sciences.
- Participation in free summer seminars on STEM inquiry and communication skills
- Participation in Zoom Q&A sessions hosted by Rice transfer students and by Rice student organizations that are devoted to STEM fields.
- Attending academic conferences hosted by Rice, some of which provide access industry representatives who are recruiting interns.
- Visiting Rice for a Take Flight on-campus day that will include student-led tours, attending a Rice class, visiting a residential college and attending an undergraduate research symposium.
- Some participants will have the opportunity to present their research to Rice audiences
Forty students, 20 from Lone Star and 20 from San Jacinto, have been selected for the first component of the program. That initial cohort will begin this semester. Another 100 or so will take part in the second component of the program this summer.
“No matter what pathway of the program a student is on, they will find it fruitful,” said Dr. Katharine Caruso, associate vice chancellor of Honors and International Education at Lone Star College. “I know from talking with students that excitement about this program is high. I, for one, am thrilled about it and Rice’s attention to and support of a talent pool right here in Houston.”
Dr. Rachel Garcia, chair of the Department of Natural Sciences at San Jacinto College, said the program is an opportunity for students to further their educational pursuits, which will allow them to be part of innovative projects that advance our society as a whole.
Rice Provost Reginald DesRoches said the true pursuit of discovery involves all participants and that this program will bring more people interested in STEM together and working