The College of Engineering and Computer Science Office of Diversity and Inclusion (CECS ODI) was created with the purpose of providing assistance and resources to students particularly the underrepresented, faculty, and staff members in the college.
Our mission is to strive to meet this purpose by developing strategies and programs that include the unique contributions of ideas and talents from CECS community so that the education pillars of the college, university, and the society by extension will be strengthened.
To date, CECS ODI has four programs: FGLSAMP, NACME, IGNITE and RAMA. FGLSAMP, which is Florida Georgia Louis Stokes Alliance Minority Program is a National Science Foundation (NSF) Project that provides scholarships to underrepresented talented undergraduate students majoring in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). It is a coalition of thirteen institutions in Florida and one in Georgia. Scholarship recipients are required to participate in RAMA – research and mentoring program, IGNITE – retention program, and the annual FGLSAMP EXPO.
NACME, the National Alliance Council for Minorities in Engineering is a scholarship program designed to provide leadership and support to increase the representation of minorities (African American, American Indian, Hispanics and Hawaiian Natives) in engineering fields. Scholarship recipients are also required to participate in RAMA and IGNITE programs, and are invited and encouraged to attend the annual FGLSAMP EXPO.
RAMA, a Research And Mentoring Activities program was designed to encourage engineering and computer science undergraduate students to further pursue a masters and/or doctoral degree. The students within the program are expected to participate in research while being mentored by both faculty and graduate students, and/or industry personnel. This program is now open to all STEM majors and students from college of medicine.
IGNITE, a six letter word meaning Impact, Grow, Network, Innovate, Translate and Educate is a program created to increase the retention and persistence rates of our undergraduate students through the provision of cultural, academic, personal and professional (CAPP) developmental support in peer and mentor coaching sessions. During the fall and spring semesters, a total of twenty-four (twelve in each semester) IGNITE sessions are held.
CECS ODI creates awareness of diversity issues through workshops. We support faculty grant proposals with support letters, and also write grant proposals and fund raising activities to support our programs. We recently introduced our newsletter “The Diversity Reporter” that is published three times a year. This fall semester, we will introduce brand new “Grad Socials” and “AcadaTalk” programs for our graduate students.
Thank you,
Fidelia (Ola) Nnadi, Ph.D., PE, D.WRE