University Of Michigan Asee Student Chapter’s Efforts To Promote Multiculturalism In Higher Education

One of the major missions of the University of Michigan ASEE Student Chapter is to support the increased involvement of underrepresented minority students in higher education. In the recent history, we have used three different approaches to achieve this part of our mission. First, we are active in the recruitment of minority students through participation in the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Regional conference, which was held at the University of Michigan. ASEE student members will be participating in an informational panel about applying to and choosing a graduate school. We will also be hosting an informational booth about graduate school during the conference’s Career Fair. Secondly, we actively perform service to the University community with our annual Martin Luther King Jr. Event. In the past few years we have organized various events including a seminar on the climate of graduate school for minority students and an outreach program to inner-city middle schools. This year, we plan to again focus on the climate at the College of Engineering. We hope to organize both informational and social events that will welcome all graduate students and encourage understanding of various cultures. Finally, our student chapter and the College of Engineering will co-host a seminar and workshop focused on issues of diversity and multiculturalism in the classroom. This will help to raise the conscience level to these issues and in turn lead to continual improvement of the classroom climate at our University. These events are all consistent with our mission of supporting the increased involvement of minority students in higher education. They also provide supportive, informational events for all students within the community.