Westbury High School students headed to the campus of SUNY Old Westbury last week as part of their ongoing participation in President Barack Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative.
As part of their mission to advance the My Brother’s Keeper initiative, SUNY Old Westbury and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory held the Maintaining Momentum: From High School to College event at the College for more than 150 students from Westbury and beyond. The event followed up on a day of mentorship and engagement in science held at Brookhaven Lab last month, and provided an opportunity for the students to meet faculty and student researchers, tour key campus facilities and learn about important programs available to support their future academic interests.
The participating students—most from economically challenged, diverse high schools on Long Island and New York City—were paired with college and career mentors to expose them to the skills and tools needed to advance to postsecondary education or training, and encourage them to reach for their full potential. At the same time, the Brookhaven Lab and SUNY Old Westbury mentors’ goal was to raise awareness and interest in studies in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
“It was imperative for us at the College to sustain the relationships we made with these young men and women at Brookhaven Lab during our first event to create the type of impactful partnership that My Brother’s Keeper inspires,” said SUNY Old Westbury President Calvin O. Butts, III, who provided the event’s welcoming remarks. “It was an honor to have such eager minds on our campus learning from leaders in the STEM industries, and we hope to welcome them back as students in the years to come.”
The day’s program included tours of the SUNY Old Westbury campus, presentations from current student-researchers, and an overview of the College’s Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP), the state-funded initiative providing services to historically underrepresented students interested in STEM and licensed professions. Old Westbury’s award-winning CSTEP program provides participants with academic advising, research and internship opportunities, enrichment and developmental workshops, among other benefits.
My Brother’s Keeper is a public-private initiative launched by President Obama in February 2014 to address persistent opportunity gaps faced by young men of color and to ensure that all young people can reach their full potential. Supported by the White House, several departments of government, and many foundations and corporations, this long-term program joins federal, state and local government agencies with businesses, educational institutions and foundations, who together are taking important steps to connect young people to mentors, support networks and the skills they need to succeed.
—Submitted by SUNY Old Westbury
