|
 The EL Alliance is supported through the National Science Foundation's Directorate for Computer and Information Science (CISE) and Engineering's Broadening Participation in Computing (BPC) program. |
|
| Activities
Outreach to minority students at majority institutions
The EL Alliance, working with its many partners, is reaching out to minority students at majority institutions across the country to invite them to participate in the EL Alliance. Students are recruited though student chapters of professional societies, department chairs, on-campus minority programs, and personal contact.
In-person and online mentoring
The EL Alliance makes mentoring matches based on the individual needs and interests of each student. Students are able connect with multiple mentors and role models, enriching their experiences and opportunities. This system of community mentoring provides the following: a) each mentor/role model has the opportunity to receive input from a number of students, increasing their understanding of the current situations students face at majority institutions; 2) greater input for the EL Alliance evaluation; 3) both students and their mentors/role models have the opportunity to realize the full scope of the community of minority scholars in the country, and to interact with a greater number of individuals with whom they can consider future collaborative work, as the students progress through their careers; and 4) peer mentoring opportunities for mutual support.
Alliance-wide meetings
Regular EL Alliance meetings are planned around topics of value to EL Allinace students. Meetings with a focus on a particular subject may include how to obtain funding for scholarship or research, what national resources are available in the computing disciplines, summer internships, conference opportunities, how to deal with difficult faculty and/or environments, or how to prepare for a conference poster, paper, or panel presentation.
Please check the EL Alliance Events listing for current information.
Provide professional development opportunities for students
The EL Alliance, through its national network, provides students with opportunities for summer research programs, internships, conference attendance, and other professional development activities, based on interests and career goals. Through its “brokering network,” the EL Alliance has an expansive reach across the US at national laboratories, corporations, and universities. This is a two-way street: the EL Alliance will also broker relationships that inform institutions about the activities, interests, and needs of minority scholars.
Assist tier-one universities in bringing about systemic change
The programs of the EL Alliance will be evaluated for their effectiveness, and the resulting information will be shared with all members of the EL Alliance, the members of the CRA and ACM, and the broader computing community to help effect institutional change. The lessons learned and best practices of the EL Alliance will also be delivered in person at EL Alliance-hosted meetings as well as national conferences hosted by others with an interest in improving the educational environment for minority scholars.
| |
