Abstract
Home | Welcome | About | Program Description | Media Coverage | Final Reports  | Sponsors | Statistics | Photo Gallery | How to Apply? | Accomplishments | Application Forms

Up to Reports | 1996 Report | Acknowledgement | Abstract | Description (detailed)

The 1996 Houston Pre-freshman Enrichment Program (PREP) was conducted on the campus of the University of Houston-Downtown from June 10 to August 1, 1996. Program participants were recruited from the Greater Houston area. All participants were identified as high achieving students with an interest in learning about the engineering and science professions. The goal of the program was to better prepare our pre-college youth prior to entering college as mathematics, science and engineering majors.

The program participants were middle school and high school students from the Aldine, Alief, Channel View, Crockett, Cypress-Fairbanks, Fort Bend, Galena Park, Houston, Humble, Katy, Klein, North Forest, Pasadena, Private, and Spring Branch Independent School Districts.

Of the 197 students starting the program, 170 completed, 142 students were from economically and socially disadvantage groups underrepresented in the engineering and science professions, and 121 of the 197 were female.

Our First Year group for 1996 composed of 96% minority and women students. Our Second and Third Year students were 100% and 93.75% minority or women respectively. This gave an overall minority and female population of 93.75%.

This year, special efforts were again made to recruit students from minority groups, which caused a significant increase in qualified applicants. However, due to space limitations, 140 applicants were rejected.

Investigative and discovery learning were key elements of PREP. The academic components of the program included Algebraic Structures, Engineering, Introduction to Computer Science, Introduction to Physics, Logic and Its Application to Mathematics, Probability and Statistics, Problem Solving Seminar using computers and PLATO software, SAT Preparatory Seminars, and Technical Writing.

Engineers, scientists, mathematicians, and other professionals from private industry, government agencies, and different universities discussed career opportunities and social problems with the program participants.

The program staff included 10 faculty members (7 of whom are college faculty members and 3 middle school faculty members), and eight UHD students as Program Assistants who were from minority groups. They served as excellent role models.

Substantial in-kind manpower and financial operational support for this year's program came from: Aldine Independent School District; Chevron Oil Co., Inc.-Los Angeles; Galena Park Independent School District; Houston Independent School District; International Business Machines; Mobil Chemical Co.-Houston; Mobil Inc., Southwestern Computing Center-Dallas; National Science Foundation-Computer and Information and Science and Engineering Directorate; NASA-Headquarters Washington, D.C.; State of Texas Legislature; State of Texas Coordinating Board of Higher Education; U.S. Army Research Office-Department of Defense; United States Department of Energy; University of Houston-Downtown.

This year we are happy to welcome the support of the ADSRC through the efforts of the Center for Computational Science and Advanced Distributed Research Consortium at the University of Houston-Downtown. The consortium, a unit of the U.S. Army Research office consists of University of Houston-Downtown, Grambling State University, Florida A&M University, and the University of Central Florida.