The purpose of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee STEM-Inspire Program is to enhance learning opportunities for students majoring in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) disciplines while providing them with research, leadership, academic enrichment, and professional development experiences.
Program Overview
UW-Milwaukee is committed to improving the recruitment, retention, and graduation of underrepresented minorities in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) majors. As the UW System institution that enrolls the highest number of underrepresented students in these majors, UW-Milwaukee is proud to be one of the major contributors of science and technology professionals in Wisconsin.
The STEM-Inspire Program offers a pyramid structure, with valuable experiences that build upon one another and serve as the foundation for student success. Our program support, opportunities, and experiences are designed to facilitate student success, to increase the number of underrepresented minority students who graduate from UW-Milwaukee and pursue careers or graduate/professional schools in STEM fields. To accomplish this, program scholars are offered the following opportunities:
- Faculty mentoring sessions
- Peer mentoring sessions
- Peer tutoring sessions, if needed
- Study sessions
- Conference travel/participation
- Conference presentation
- Hands-on research with faculty preceptors
- Site visits to companies and/or facilities/museums
- STEM-related seminars & workshops
- Leadership & professional skills development
- Internship & other work experiences
- And much, much more
Scholar Participation Categories
Participants
These students will be paired with a faculty mentor, a peer mentor, and a peer tutor, who will assist them in navigating their way throughout the academic year. The faculty/peer mentors will also help students with psychosocial, self-efficacy, and research opportunities. Participants will complete a series of peer mentoring handouts related to holistic student success, including library study nights, STEM and research-related lectures, and other activities.
Peer Mentors
These students are paired with a faculty mentor and a peer tutor (if needed). They share the same rights and benefits as the Participants. Peer Mentors are usually juniors and seniors with a Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. They should show evidence of success within the University system and share experiences in conference participation and/or research or professional presentations.
Peer Tutors
These students are paired with a faculty mentor and a peer mentor/tutor (if needed). They share the same rights and benefits as the Participants. Peer Tutors are usually juniors and seniors with a Cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better. They should show evidence of success within a University system and share experiences in conference participation and/or research or professional presentations. Peer Tutors will also be screened by the PASS, and attend its training sessions.
Researchers
These students are paired with a faculty mentor, a peer mentor, and a peer tutor (if needed) in addition to having the same rights and benefits as the Participants. They should maintain a Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better and be actively engaged in undergraduate research with faculty preceptors.
Library Staff
This student is an upperclassman who has shown evidence of being able to succeed at the University by earning and maintaining a semester and cumulative GPA of 3.2 or better and demonstrating the ability to monitor and guide students in a group setting successfully. Library Staff supervise weekly Library Study Hall meetings with participants and peer mentors, track attendance, and update students about upcoming WiscAMP programming. This student also benefits from faculty mentoring and all the same rights and benefits as Participants.
The STEM-Inspire Program is a grant project funded and supported by the UW-Milwaukee Division of Community Empowerment & Institutional Inclusivity, UW-Madison Wisconsin Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (WiscAMP, through the NSF LSAMP), and the American Family Insurance Dream Fund.
Maysam Abdeljaber, Junior, Architectural Studies (Peer Mentor)
Koami Amegnran, Senior Architectural Studies**
Matida Bojang, Senior, Biochemistry (Peer Mentor)**
Destiny Brady, Senior, Architectural Studies**
Omar Cabrera, Sophomore, Civil Engineering (Peer Mentor)
Rene Chavez, Junior, Geosciences (Researcher)^
Yvalis Cortes-Rojas, Junior, Biological Sciences/Pre-Med
Nancy De Jesus, Senior, Civil Engineering**
Evan Harper, Junior, Biological Sciences
Katherina Her, Senior, Biological Sciences/Pre-Med*
Heavenly Johnson, Junior, Information Science & Technology
Cheyanne Koran, Senior, Conservation & Environmental Science (Researcher/Peer Mentor)
Lue Lor, Junior, Mechanical Engineering
Nigel Ogbonna, Senior, Information Science & Technology**
Miranda Ramirez-Vang, Senior Biomedical Science (Peer Mentor)
Farok Rashid, Junior, Biology
Erick Rico-Sanchez, Senior, Mechanical Engineering
Pilar Sharp, Junior, Biological Sciences
Xeng Vang, Senior, Microbiology*
Sokhna Wyatt-Ngom, Senior, Chemistry
*Graduating in December 2020
**Graduated in May 2021
^Fall semester only
Maysam Abdeljaber, Senior, Architectural Studies*
Jorge Acosta, Junior, Geosciences (Peer Mentor)
Malyun Ali, Junior, Information Science and Technology
Omar Cabrera, Junior, Civil Engineering^
Yvalis Cortes-Rojas, Senior, Med Lab Sciences (Peer Mentor)**
Avery Dedjoe, Senior, Electrical Engineering (Library Staff & Researcher)
Angel DeJesus Ortiz, Sophomore, Civil Engineering
Fantasia Edwards, Sophomore, Geology^
Stephanie Fones, Junior, Geosciences
Evan Harper, Senior, Biological Sciences
Carmen Henry, Senior, Mathematics**
Lilly Herbst, Junior, Mechanical Engineering (Peer Tutor)
Ariana Jimenez, Freshman, Biomedical Engineering
Heavenly Johnson, Junior, Information Science & Technology
Liliana Kasta, Senior, Microbiology/Chemistry
Cheyanne Koran, Senior, Conservation & Environmental Science*
Lue Lor, Senior, Mechanical Engineering (Peer Mentor)**
Carol Martinez, Junior, Materials Engineering
Roberto Munoz, Senior, Electrical Engineering
Dariliss Nieves, Junior, Engineering-Intended
Reid Pezewski, Senior, Computer Science (Peer Mentor & Tutor)
Miranda Ramirez-Vang, Senior, Med Lab Sciences (Peer Mentor)**
Farok Rashid, Senior, Biochemistry^
Daysia Reid, Senior, Biomedical Sciences
Erick Rico-Sanchez, Senior, Mechanical Engineering*
Natalia Sotelo, Senior, Biomedical Engineering
Jamie Sparks, Senior, Med Lab Sciences**
Nou Thou, Senior, Biomedical Sciences
Lisa Theppanya, Sophomore, Pre-Pharmacy/Chemistry^
Kevin Torres, Senior, Information Science & Technology (Peer Mentor)**
Plaski Vue, Sophomore, Mechanical Engineering
Mikayla Walker, Junior, Geosciences^
Sokhna Aminata Wyatt-Ngom, Senior, Chemistry*
Emma Xiong, Sophomore, Biological Sciences/Cell & Molecular Biology (Researcher)
Mai Yang, Senior, Biological Sciences***
*Graduating in December 2021
**Graduating in May 2022
***Graduating in August 2022
^Fall 2021 enrolled only
Jorge Acosta, Junior, Geosciences (Researcher)
Malyun Ali, Junior, Information Science & Technology
Andrea Alonso, Senior, Biomedical Engineering (Peer Mentor)*
Anita Anderson, Senior, Biological Sciences
Laura Bonilla-Guerrero, Junior, Biological Sciences/Pre-Dentistry
Victor Chavez, Sophomore, Mechanical Engineering
Isabella Cosentino, Senior, Architecture (Peer Mentor)**
Angel DeJesus-Ortiz, Junior, Civil Engineering
Jersemy DeJesus-Ortiz, Freshman, Computer Engineering/CS
Stephanie Fones, Junior, Geosciences (Researcher)
Diego Garcia, Senior, Civil Engineering (Library Staff)
Evan Harper, Senior, Biological Sciences/Pre-Med**
Lilly Herbst, Senior, Mechanical Engineering (Peer Tutor)
Ariana Jimenez, Sophomore, Electrical Engineering
Dejiah Julien, Junior, Biological Sciences (Library Lead)
Liliana Kasta, Senior, Microbiology (Peer Tutor)*
Roberto Munoz, Senior, Electrical Engineering**
Hidayah Osman, Freshman, Architecture
Reid Pezewski, Senior, Computer Science (Peer Mentor/Tutor)**
Daysia Reid, Senior, Biomedical Sciences/Radiological Tech
Javier Retana, Jr., Senior, Civil Engineering (Peer Mentor)
Nou Thao, Senior, Biomedical Sciences (Peer Mentor)**
Tannis Thompson-Catlett, Junior, Nutritional Sciences
Jose Trujillo Parra, Senior, Electrical Engineering (Peer Mentor)
Plaski Vue, Sophomore, Mechanical Engineering
Niyah Wallace, Senior, Biomedical Sciences/Medical Technology
Touxai Xiong, Junior, Electrical Engineering
Emma Xiong, Junior, Biological Sciences/Cell & Molecular Biology
*Graduated in December 2022
**Graduated in May 2023
Jorge Acosta, Senior, Geosciences
Ramon Aguilar-Mendoza, Junior, Electrical Engineering
Malyun Ali, Senior, Information Science & Technology (Peer Mentor-Fall only)*
Melanie Barrios, Junior, Computer Science/IT (Peer Mentor-Spring only)
Laura Bonilla-Guerrero, Senior, Biological Sciences/Pre-Dentistry*
Amya Camberos, Junior, Computer Science
Brayan Carrera-Garcia, Sophomore, Mechanical Engineering
Victor Chavez, Senior, Mechanical Engineering (Library Lead/Peer Mentor)
Daniayelah Chris, Junior, Civil Engineering
Angel De Jesus-Ortiz, Senior, Civil Engineering (Peer Mentor-Spring only) **
Jersemy DeJesus-Ortiz, Sophomore, Computer Engineering
Daniel Estrada Sepulveda, Senior, Computer Science (Researcher-Fall only)
Stephanie Fones, Senior, Geosciences (Peer Mentor)
Diego Garcia, Senior, Civil Engineering (Library Staff/Peer Mentor-Fall only)*
Natalya Gurneau, Sophomore, Environmental Science
Lilly Herbst, Senior, Mechanical Engineering (Peer Tutor)
Jylian Jackson, Junior, Biomedical Engineering (Researcher-Fall only)
Dejiah Julien, Senior, Biological Sciences
Ida Kukimiya, Junior, Computer Science
David Loeza, Sophomore, Mechanical Engineering
Angela McGinnis, Sophomore, Biological Sciences/Cell & Molecular Biology
Heaven’l Parker, Senior, Information Science & Technology (Fall only)
Daysia Reid, Senior, Biomedical Sciences/Radiological Tech**
Javier Retana, Jr., Senior, Civil Engineering (Peer Mentor-Fall only)*
Cynthia Reyes-Martinez, Junior, Mechanical Engineering
Hassan Richardson, Senior, Biological Sciences/CES**
Jose Trujillo Parra, Senior, Electrical Engineering (Peer Mentor/Peer Tutor–Fall only)*
O’Neal Stamps, New Freshman, Mechanical Engineering
Gennesis Valle, Junior, Biological Sciences/Pre-Med
Jeanette Valles, Senior, Civil Engineering
Emma Xiong, Senior, Biological Sciences/Cell & Molecular Biology (Peer Mentor)
Molly Xiong, Sophomore, Neuroscience-Int.
*Graduating in December 2023
**Graduating in May 2024
Ramon Aguilar-Mendoza, Senior, Electrical Engineering
Melanie Barrios, Senior, Information Science & Technology (Peer Mentor/Library Staff-Fall only)
Amya Camberos, Senior, Computer Science
Victor Chavez, Senior, Mechanical Engineering
Jersemy DeJesus-Ortiz, Junior, Computer Engineering
Stephanie Fones, Senior, Geosciences*
Natalya Gurneau, Sophomore, Conservation & Environmental Science
Lilly Herbst, Senior, Mechanical Engineering (Peer Tutor/Mentor-Fall only)*
Dejiah Julien, Senior, Biological Sciences
Ida Kukimiya, Junior, Information Science & Technology
David Loeza, Junior, Mechanical Engineering
Gennesis Valle, Junior, Biological Sciences/Pre-Med
Emma Xiong, Senior, Biological Sciences/Pre-Med (Peer Mentor-Fall only)*
Molly Xiong, Junior, Biological Sciences/Pre-Med
*Graduating in December 2024