Jennett Named to AMP Governing Board by NSF

Charles Jennett, president of Texas A&M International University, has been named to the Texas Alliance for Minority Participation (Texas AMP) Governing Board.

The AMP, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) is dedicated to significantly increasing student diversity in science, mathematics, engineering and technology at the baccalaureate and graduate levels.

The Governing Board serves an advisory role, providing continuing clarification and mission projection to Alliance partners.

A&M International has been part of AMP since 1991.

The state-wide program has recently completed its phase one, during which minority science, engineering, math and technology baccalaureate degrees awarded increased by 148% from 345 to 857 graduates.

A total of $1,784,626 in stipends were awarded to 2,450 minority students on 14 participating campuses who met academic criteria jointly established by Alliance partners.

President Jennett said the initiative is crucial to securing local, regional and national economic growth.

"We are keenly supportive of this program as it targets the empowerment of minority students in the science, mathematics, engineering and technology fields -- all of which have been experiencing chronic shortages of qualified minority personnel.

"As an engineer myself, I have been most impressed with the way that this program is directly addressing those shortages and helping to secure a brighter economic future for Laredo, Texas and our nation by helping us to graduate qualified individuals," he explained.

Phase II of the program has targeted systemic improvement of articulation and transfer between the Alliance partners. In addition to A&M International, AMP A&M System partners include TAMU-College Station, TAMU-Prairie View, TAMU-Corpus Christi and TAMU-Kingsville.

Community colleges that are part of the AMP include Bee Community College, Blinn Community College, Del Mar College, El Centro College, Houston Community College, LCC, San Antonio College, Palo Alto College and Richland College.

For additional information on Texas A&M International University's AMP Program, please contact the Office of Public Affairs at 956.326.2180.

University office hours are from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Affairs and Information Services at pais@tamiu.edu