Dear Engineering Alumni & Friends! It is with great excitement that I write this letter as a reflection of our Diversity & Multicultural Engineering Program (MEP) here at the University of Oklahoma. The history and legacy that Wayne Steen has left in his wake is a daily inspiration to the work that we do in the diversity program. I am so proud to be part of such an amazing College at the University of Oklahoma, and I want to thank you for delving into the “Diversity Issue” of this ‘Engineering Encounter’! The Multicultural Engineering Program is based on the hard work and commitment of both students and staff who were determined to turn engineering from a possibility to a reality to many students for whom engineering was simply a dream. The promise that Mr. Steen made to those students long-ago has not waned. We are continuing to work with diverse students and provide avenues of support including internship opportunities, scholarship opportunities, and academic support to rival any college at OU. We are working with faculty to diversify their labs and grant funded projects, we are encouraging undergraduate research through collaborations across Oklahoma, and we are demanding the best academic performance that each student can give. Entering my third year as the Director of MEP and Diversity in the college and I am continually in awe of everything that our current students are doing. There is a renewed focus on academic performance and scholarship as well as a significant effort in tutoring and support services within MEP. The collaborative effort between our office and others on campus has become a cohesive “care package” that proves to parents that the OU community at-large creates a supportive learning environment and the Multicultural Engineering Program is leading the way! The College Of Engineering has made great strides in implementing diversity based programming and supporting the needs of our multicultural and first generation college students and this 2008-2009 academic school year was no exception. Previously MEP was based primarily on ethnic minority student enrollment. Now in 2009 we have expanded our efforts to include women in engineering specific programs, seminars, and summer camps and are working hard to develop an independent program to better support the women in our college. We have also made extensive outreach to students who may have never applied to be an MEP Scholar previously to include students from rural areas of Oklahoma and Arkansas, students who may be dealing with significant socieo-economic hardship and many others who can present a diverse and (much needed) perspective in the classroom. I believe that we are not just working with students – we are developing leaders for an engineering workforce, a research community and future professors in the engineering classroom. A diverse classroom in a global economy means more than addressing issues of diversity or multi-culturalism. We must be aware of who are students are, of how our students treat each other, and provide a learning environment that fosters collaboration across differences. These kinds of issues span all disciplines within engineering and beyond. They are important in all classes, whether the format is lecture, discussion or team projects. Each class, regardless of format or discipline, offers the opportunity to increase awareness of diversity and multi-cultural issues. It is no small secret that this commitment is central to the core of what we are doing in the Multicultural Engineering Program at OU. This work is not the sole responsibility of our office but it is also the responsibility of you is a reader too. I encourage each of you to extend a hand, encourage our students, volunteer to be active in our database and promote diversity in your own everyday encounters. It is not just the way of the MEP office, it is the way of the Sooner! Our mission in the Diversity Program here at OU is to foster an MEP environment that consistently meets students’ needs, parents’ expectations, and is competitive with our peer institutions in terms of support services and resources. We have maintained our growth this year and we are currently serving over 60 freshman students and nearly 360 students in the College of Engineering and the College of Earth and Energy. The vision of the Diversity and Multicultural Engineering Program is simply to implement a comprehensive MEP program that is above all student centered because we know if we are focused on students as individuals, as a collective, they will shine even brighter as individuals. Best wishes, Elizabeth J Cook Director of Diversity & MEP
