The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a $1,082,291 grant to Randolph-Macon College for support of the research project “Caminos a la Ciencia/Pathways to Science: A Program Designed to Recruit, Retain, and Develop Latinas in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) Disciplines.” This is the second-largest grant award in the history of the college.

The research project is under the direction of RMC professors April Marchetti ’97 (chemistry), Laurie Massery (Spanish), Patricia Reagan (Spanish), Rachele Dominguez (physics), and Rebecca Michelsen (chemistry). In addition, Charles English, the STEM coordinator for Virginia, serves as co-PI on the project.

Creating STEM Leaders
Marchetti, the Garnett-Lambert Endowed Professor in Chemistry, explains that the grant will facilitate the continuation of Pathways to Science at RMC, which began in 2017 thanks to a grant from the National Science Foundation’s INCLUDES initiative.

“In 2017 Randolph-Macon College established partnerships with Richmond-based Fortune 500 companies, non-profit groups, state Hispanic leaders, and representatives from state government to try to identify potential solutions to the issue of underrepresentation of Latina women in STEM fields in central Virginia,” explains Marchetti. “Our program engages with Latina high schoolers beginning after their freshman year, with the goal of continuing the mentorship through entrance to college. Since that time we’ve experienced great success in keeping our participants on the path to college, and we’re excited to be able to continue to follow them thanks to the funding we’ve received.”

Pathways to Science Program
A highlight of Pathways to Science is the summer residential program, where Latina participants come to campus for a week each July to participate in intensive STEM exploration while experiencing living in residence halls. Participants visit partner organizations, which include WestRock, Dominion Energy, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Maymont, The Science Museum of Virginia, and CodeVA, and participate in specialized programming and engage with female STEM professionals across a multitude of disciplines.

In addition, participants interact with RMC faculty members on campus through research presentations and STEM activities, with the goal of forming a cohort that is excited about STEM exploration. Upon successful completion of the program, participants receive scholarship funding to help defray the cost of college attendance.

This new award, which runs through 2022, funds three additional years of the project as well as a full-time staff member to facilitate program activities and assist with data collection from participants. In addition, the award will fund several new initiatives, including a school-year mentorship program that will allow participants to engage with Randolph-Macon students on a regular basis.

Randolph-Macon College President Robert R. Lindgren said that he is delighted that this outstanding and model program will continue. “The Pathways to Science program showcases the excellence of the sciences at RMC while promoting the college’s liberal arts education tradition and commitment to diversity and opportunity. We look forward to welcoming these young scientists to our campus again this summer.”