The U.S. Naval Academy’s effort to produce more prospective science and technology majors also may help solve its diversity dilemma.
Without putting out a directive seeking a certain percentage of minorities, the Annapolis academy had an overwhelming number of minorities participate in its first summer camp for science, technology, engineering and math, also known as STEM.
“These STEM camps will greatly galvanize interest into these types of studies,” said Davede Alexander, strategic outreach director, during this past week’s Board of Visitors meeting on Capitol Hill.
Of the 86 participants, 36 were black and 11 were Hispanic. Only 15 were considered “majority.”
This comes as good news to the academy, which is not only looking to increase its student body’s diversity, but also meet a U.S. Navy-mandated 5 percent increase of STEM majors by 2013.
During the past decade, the academy has seen its STEM graduates decline.
But the weeklong STEM camp proved successful, and the academy plans to expand it to 200 participants next summer, as well as host smaller three-day STEM camps in places such as San Diego.
Academy Superintendent Vice Adm. Jeffrey Fowler said other camps and the longer midshipmen training schedule kept the program from being larger.
The board, which provides oversight of the academy, appeared pleased with the results.
“We should really identify kids in the middle schools of the inner cities, and find those with the aptitude for STEM,” said Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md.
But some board members said the academy’s program is not enough to remove the “counterculture” some minorities and young girls have toward STEM education.
“There are groups out trying to make this more of a priority for kids, and we should ride the surf of the big wave they are trying to create,” said Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md.
The academy has begun outreach programs to technical schools, including those with a large number of minority students.
Recruiting efforts have begun in middle school as well, where students are instructed on what STEM courses are needed to gain entrance into the highly competitive academy.
The academy has stepped up its diversity recruitment efforts to balance the disparity between minority Navy officers and enlisted sailors through summer camps and advertising campaigns.
