DuSable scholars celebrate first year
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The DuSable Scholars Program, housed in UIC’s College of Engineering and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, works in partnership with the DuSable Heritage Association to identify and support talented
Black students who are underrepresented in STEM fields and guide them through their academic career to a timely graduation.
“The goal of the program is to increase outcomes for minoritized students in STEM, increase the retention and graduation rates, and get rid of this achievement gap,” said Jeremiah Abiade, program director and associate professor of mechanical and industrial engineering. “We would like to see these students go on to get PhDs in a STEM discipline and assume research careers.”
This spring, program organizers and students celebrated the successful completion of the full academic year for the first cohort. “The students did very well, and we retained 100 percent of them in STEM,” Abiade said. “What exceeded my expectations was the excitement from the campus and community about the program and the buy-in from different units to support us.”
“I really enjoyed my first year at UIC. It was a great chance for me to connect with people and find different ways to get support,” said Kaliah Linear, a mechanical engineering student. “I was able to get supplemental support when I needed it in my classes and connect with my peers who were in similar classes.”
This summer, Linear headed to California for an internship with Abbott Laboratories, where she worked in their vascular division. This fall, she plans to join UIC Motorsports, beginning her journey toward a “dream job” of being an engineer for Formula One racing. Students involved in the program said its support structure is crucial to their success. “It’s a pretty tight-knit group, and we can depend on each other for studying and emotional support,” said Joshua Nwonye, a biochemistry student. “I think my university experience would be significantly different if I wasn’t in the program. There are
a lot of little opportunities that I don’t think I would have known about.”