History

The Illinois Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (I-LSAMP) formerly the Chicago Alliance for Minority Participation (ChAMP) was formed in 1993 in response to the National Science Foundation’s mandate to significantly increase the number of underrepresented scholars earning degrees in the disciplines of science, teaching, mathematics, and engineering (STEM). Partner universities all over the state emerged, supporting I-LSAMP's goal to provide programs to improve students academic preparation, offer more educational options to increase opportunities, and modify/reinvent gateway courses to more effectively educate students in order to enhance academic performance.

Since fall of 1993, the UIC Alliance for Minority Participation has reached over 200 undergraduate minority students per semester. As we arrive to the year 2005, the number of participatory students has vastly increased. Out of these AMP Scholars, 74% have earned their degrees, 18% are currently enrolled, and only 8% have withdrawn from UIC (2002 measurements).

Our AMP scholars have proven as role models for students of all disciplines as they serve in workshops, aid instructors as teaching assistants, and involve themselves in undergraduate research establishing integrated and interdisciplinary Student-Faculty connections.