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History and Goals
The Alabama Alliance for Minority Participation (AMP) began in 1991 with eight Historically Black Colleges and The University of Alabama at Birmingham. Conceived and initiated by ten Black faculty members at those institutions with Ph.D. degrees in mathematics and science, the alliance had the single goal of increasing the number of minorities receiving bachelor's degrees in science, engineering, technology and mathematics (STEM) in Alabama and parts of Mississippi. The alliance included the following institutions: The University of Alabama at Birmingham (Lead Institution), Alabama A&M University, Alabama State University, Miles College, Oakwood College, Stillman College, Talladega College, Tougaloo College and Tuskegee University. The University of Alabama in Huntsville joined the alliance in 1992 and Auburn University and The University of Alabama joined in 1994, increasing the number of institutions to twelve. Tougaloo College withdrew from the alliance in 2005 to join the Mississippi Alliance. These institutions represent public and private, large and small and teaching and research colleges and universities. Each partner institution has a principal investigator and a management committee to implement program activities on that particular campus.
As one of the six oldest National Science Foundation (NSF) Alliances in the nation, Alabama has been in the forefront of efforts to increase the quantity and the quality of underrepresented minorities receiving baccalaureate degrees in STEM fields. For this reason, many of its programs have been replicated by other NSF Alliances.
The Alabama Alliance was the first NSF Alliance to develop and implement the following programs and activities:
AMP Scholars Program – This is a student support program designed to prepare students for graduate school. AMP Scholars serve as student helpers in the AMP Drop-In Centers and participate each year in the AMP Summer Research Internship Program.
Summer Bridge Program for High School Graduates – This program is designed to ease the transition of high school graduates from high school to college. Participants take regular college courses, attend seminars, attend career counseling and develop research projects.
Summer Research Program for Undergraduate SEM Students – This program is designed to provide research experience for undergraduate students. Participants work with an assigned research mentor in a laboratory on an ongoing research project. In addition, participants enroll in a regular college course for credit, enroll in a special non-credit course on GRE preparation, attend weekly seminars and present the results of their research at the annual Alabama AMP Summer Research Conference.
Graduate Bridge Program for Graduate School Bound Undergraduates – This summer program is designed to ease the transition from undergraduate to graduate school. To participate in the program an applicant must be a graduate of an AMP institution and been accepted in a graduate school for the following fall term. Selected participants must enroll in a graduate course, participate in orientation sessions with the graduate program director, work with a graduate faculty member on a research project and present the results of their research at the annual Alabama AMP Summer Research Conference.
Drop-In Center/Cooperative Learning Centers for STEM Students – The core of the AMP retention initiative is the Drop-In Center, a place on campus equipped with computer technology where students receive skill reinforcement in mathematics, technology and engineering. Drop-In Centers are staffed by graduate students, AMP Scholars, faculty and may employ a full-time or part-time director.
NSF Summer Research Conference for LSAMP Students – Each summer, students and faculty from alliance institutions participate in a research conference and exhibit competition at The University of Alabama at Birmingham. The conference id designed to: 1) provide an opportunity for AMP students to meet and share successes; 2) provide a forum to showcase AMP student research; 3) motivate LSAMP students to pursue graduate degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics; 4) expose AMP students to successful minority scientists and engineers and 5) provide an opportunity for AMP faculty to exchange ideas and plan curriculum reform.
The NSF LSAMP Magazine – The magazine, with national circulation, provides a forum for the dissemination of activities of all current AMP projects and participants.
In the year 2000, the alliance was named after Congressman Louis Stokes and became the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority participation (LSAMP).
