Ready for Takeoff

The College of Letters & Science’s STEM Runway program helps students from underrepresented groups find their science path and thrive.

José Madera has no problem embracing the “runway” metaphor.

Madera, an assistant dean in the College of Letters & Science’s Center for Academic Excellence (CAE), is talking about the College’s new STEM Runway program, a nascent network of research—and career-based opportunities designed to encourage first—and second-year students in tradition­ally underrepresented groups to pursue majors in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

“I think of it as students starting one place and then going somewhere else,” Madera says. “It’s like being at one of those historic airport lounges with the exciting wall of flights to far-flung places. We’re trying to let the students decide which gate they want to go through. But we’re here to facilitate it.”...