By Lisa Neshyba
In Year 3, IMOD continues to cultivate partnerships with cultural competency, centering partner voices when designing and implementing outreach and opportunities, expanding mentorship, REU and RET awareness, and the new internship program as described in this Newsletters Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Knowledge Transfer sections.
In education collaborations with organizations such as LUCHA (Latinos Unidos for College and Higher Acheivement), GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness & Readiness for Undergraduate Programs), iUrban Teen, MESA (Maths, Engineering, Science and Acheivement), and LSAMP (Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation), we will this year again host and/or visit hundreds of priority students while maintaining authentic connectivity, positive impact, and individualized attention. In preparing for outreach, our trainees are immersed in promising practices to meet partners’ needs, and center priority audiences.
Such experiences are developed with the intention to be a vital component of IMOD trainees’ professional growth. Trainees therein hone skills in inclusive pedagogy and how to communicate complex science accessibly and compellingly through authentic narratives and contexts.
To this end, IMOD is thrilled to connect with a new partner this year – the Allentown School District, in Allentown, Pa. This exceptional district is home to over 16,000 young scholars, representing an up-and-coming dynamic group of learners, with 67% of students designated as economically-disadvantaged and a minority enrollment of 90%. District students, teachers, and STEM leaders connected with IMOD through Center faculty from Lehigh University and welcomed IMOD staff in-person during an IMOD visit to Allentown in November. With a district enrollment of 73% Hispanic/Latino students, the district Director of STEM, along with student leaders and teachers, are particularly excited to develop a LUCHA-IMOD model of relationship, whereby student voices are elevated, and student leadership is facilitated and supported.