History and Goals

The Washington/Baltimore/Hampton Rhodes Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Program (WBHR LSAMP) came into existence in 1994 as a result of a grant through the EHR Directorate of the National Science Foundation. Under a cooperative agreement grant, four partner institutions in the middle-Atlantic region of the nation formed a working alliance. These institutions included the University of the District of Columbia (DC), Hampton University (VA), Morgan State University (MD), and Howard University (DC) serving as the lead institution. These institutions began with a baseline of 447 B.S. degrees awarded to underrepresented minorities in the sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields of study.

In 1999 at the end of its Phase I, the alliance had produced almost 3600 B.S. degrees in STEM fields. During 2000 an expanded alliance began Phase II of its program with three additional partners including Bowie State University (MD), Norfolk State University (VA), and Virginia State University (VA). This new alliance of seven members began with a baseline of 700 B.S. degrees in STEM fields.

The WBHR LSAMP continues to focus on seeking to increase the number of underrepresented minorities who choose careers in STEM fields and its major strategy is to double the number of undergraduates who successfully complete training in STEM fields during Phase II.