California Educational Facilities Authority

Academic Assistance Program Grant Recipient

Loyola Marymount University

Science and Engineering Community Outreach Program (SECOP)

For the seven consecutive summers between 2001-2007, the Seaver College of Science and Engineering has provided academic enrichment to minority high school students with a strong aptitude for science and mathematics through the Science and Engineering Community Outreach Program (SECOP). During SECOP 2007, 29 participants spent two weeks on the LMU Campus taking classes in pre-engineering, mathematics, computer graphics, and physics. The students stayed in Del Rey South Dormitory, ate at the Lair Dining Hall, attended field trips to Northrop Grumman, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Angel’s Stadium and Disneyland and listened to guest speakers discussing science and engineering as careers. Twelve minority Loyola Marymount University engineering and science undergraduates acted as counselors for SECOP students and worked as teachers’ assistants, group project leaders, resident assistants and mentors. Each SECOP participant worked on a group robotics project using LEGO’s MINDSTORMS NXT. With the support of Dr. Saez, Civil Engineering, Dr. Noorani, Mechanical Engineering, Dr. Siniawski, Mechanical Engineering, and Dr. Mellor, Mathematics, along with the help of numerous LMU alumni including Ms. Anabel Rodriquez, Electrical Engineer, Mr. Chris Davis Medical Student, USC Medical School and Ms. Alphie Walker, Masters in Public Health Student UCLA School of Public Health, SECOP students learned about the myriad of careers available in STEM fields. SECOP has obtained tremendous results with 60% of the participants who have graduated from high school currently studying science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) at college level. One hundred and fifty-five students from 54 different high schools have attended SECOP since 2001.

Loyola Marymount University website