College of DuPage is participating in various efforts to support historically underrepresented racial and ethnic minority students in their pursuit of STEM careers through the Promotion of Underrepresented Minorities in Academic STEM (PUMA-STEM) Alliance.
According to the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, while the STEM workforce in the U.S. has increased in diversity from 2011-2021, there is still a disparity in racial and ethnic representation. Hispanics or Latinos, Blacks or African Americans, and American Indians or Alaska Natives collectively accounted for 37% of the U.S. population ages 18–34 years in 2021, but only 26% of science and engineering bachelor’s degrees, 24% of science and engineering master’s degrees, and 16% of science and engineering doctoral degrees earned by U.S. citizens and permanent residents in 2020.
Given that the STEM workforce has grown 20% from 2011 to 2021, and that STEM workers have higher medium incomes and lower unemployment rates than non-STEM workers, there is a great deal of opportunity in STEM.
The PUMA-STEM Alliance is focused on strengthening underrepresented minority student success in STEM at primarily undergraduate and regional institutions.
Through this endeavor, College of DuPage students are given an opportunity to participate in high-quality research experiences at area universities. The research universities included in the PUMA-STEM Alliance are:
- Elmhurst University (lead institution)
- Benedictine University
- Concordia University Chicago
- Dominican University
- Lewis University
- North Central College
- Saint Xavier University
How the Summer Research Opportunity Works
Students participate in high quality scientific research experiences under the direction of a research mentor at the host institution. Students work with modern equipment and methods while investigating new areas of science.
- Stipends of $3,500 are paid to students
- Assignments run for eight weeks during the summer
- Students should expect to spend up to 40 hours per week on research activities, though it can vary with each project.
- Some projects may have virtual or hybrid work options.
- Research areas include:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computer science
- Ecology
- Engineering
- Microbiology
- Physics & more
Projects may result in conference presentations and publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Student Support
To help students succeed and grow professionally during the research period, PUMA-STEM offers:
- Faculty and peer mentoring
- Programs to promote inclusive experiences and a sense of belonging in STEM field
Eligibility
In order to be eligible for the PUMA-STEM Alliance research opportunity, students must:
- Have U.S. Citizenship or U.S. Permanent Resident status
- Be currently enrolled full-time at a PUMA-STEM LSAMP institution (including COD)
- Be enrolled in a STEM major (as defined by the NSF LSAMP program)
- Commit to participating in research and related activities in June and July
Application
Students can receive guidance on applying for the summer research experience from COD Student Success Coaches in the STEM Division. Applications are typically open in January and February. Program information, research descriptions and the application can be found online through Elmhurst University.
Contact a COD Student Success Coach below for assistance with the application process.
- Emily Whitis
whitise@cod.edu
(630) 942-3106 - Susan Fenwick
fenwicks@cod.edu
(630) 942-4226
The PUMA-STEM Alliance is supported by the National Science Foundation through the LSAMP Program under Award Number 1911271. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
The PUMA-STEM Club is a student organization that strives to support, encourage and connect African American, Hispanic American, American Indian, Alaskan Native and Pacific Islander STEM students while attending COD.
The Club meets in-person or virtually every month to discuss ways you can get involved in STEM research as an undergraduate student, how you can grow professionally with COD and community resources and what opportunities are available to you for future scholarships, internships and networking. Visit ChapLife to join.
Students who are members have access to:
- The PUMA-STEM Club Blackboard page with resources on scholarships, internships and professional development opportunities
- A curated list of local and national internship suggestions
- Virtual and in-person speaker events on current topics and careers in STEM
- Local STEM related conferences
The STEM Division has two Student Success Coaches who are available to meet with students and provide support during their academic journey.
Students can meet individually with Student Success Coaches to explore all academic and career resources available to them, establish a clear vision of goals and stay connected to the college. The coach and student will work together to identify academic and professional opportunities, strategize for goal achievement and look for areas for growth.
Examples of coach and student activities include goal setting, searching and applying for internships, approaching campus support services, identifying professional development activities, pursuing STEM engagement opportunities, identifying potential scholarships, and alumni networking.
Coaches and students meet regularly to reflect on student progress and look for new opportunities.
Contact Emily Whitis at (630) 942-3106 or whitise@cod.edu or Susan Fenwick at (630) 942-4226 or fenwicks@cod.edu to request an introductory meeting.
The Underrepresented Minority STEM Student Scholarship opportunity aims to strengthen underrepresented minority student success in STEM fields at the College of DuPage by assisting with tuition costs.
Underrepresented minority students are those who identify as members of racial and ethnic minority groups historically underrepresented in STEM, specifically African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Native Pacific Islanders. Students receiving the scholarship must be pursuing a major in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM), and enrolled in at least one class for the semester in which the award is received.
This scholarship award is granted for one semester, though students may reapply each term. Scholarship amounts are based on the number of credit hours taken in the awarding term. Awards are given on a first-come first-served basis until funds are exhausted. These funds are for tuition charges (at the in-district rate) that are not covered by financial aid or other funding sources. Health science majors and student visa holders are not eligible.
Students are encouraged to view all COD scholarship opportunities in the scholarship portal. Questions can be directed to scholarships@cod.edu.
COD Stories
"I want to innovate and work on new technology to improve everyone’s lives. I don’t want to be a part of something small. I want to be able to say that I worked on the next big technology.". - Giovanni Zavalza
Giovanni's COD StoryCOD Stories
"This not only provided the benefit of relieving some of the financial strain associated with college, but it also gave numerous invaluable experiences, such as connecting me with research and internship opportunities." - Evan Gutierrez
Evan's COD StoryContact Information
Dr. Cory DiCarlo, Professor
Health and Science Center, Room 3327
(630) 942-2761
Email: dicarloc@cod.edu
Emily Whitis, Student Success Coach
Health and Science Center, Room 3329
(630) 942-3106
Email: whitise@cod.edu
Susan Fenwick, Student Success Coach
Berg Instructional Center, Room 2H11A
(630) 942-4226
Email: fenwicks@cod.edu