Where
Are They Now?
Project Exploration Students Choose College
Photos: © Project
Exploration
Seven years ago, Paul Sereno and Gabrielle Lyon
cofounded Project Exploration to inspire minority
youth and girls with the wonder of scientific
discovery. Today Project Exploration is a high-impact
organization whose students are entering college
and considering science as a career.
"When our students tell us, 'Project
Exploration helped me navigate the college path,'
I know we’re doing our job. When our students
tell us, 'Project Exploration opened my interest
to science,' I know we’re meeting our mission
to make science accessible" says Gabrielle
Lyon, executive director and cofounder.
Our programs are creating pipelines
to future careers in science:
- Students participating in our field
programs are graduating high school at an
18% higher rate than their peers.
- Students are pursuing science in
college—25% of all students and 34%
of our girls declare science as their major.
- The girls in our programs are pursuing
science in college at five times the national
average.
Four students checked-in with Project Exploration
this spring to share their current plans.
Devethia Calls
with Great News
"I am really excited
about going to college. I will be
attending the University of Arkansas
at Pine Bluff on a full scholarship.
I plan on majoring in Chemistry and
eventually want to study medicine.
Project Exploration helped me navigate
the college path and I am very thankful
to have been involved in so many different
programs."
Devethia joined Project Exploration
as a Junior Paleontologist
in 2003 and will be graduating from
Paul Robeson High School this year. |
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Eddie
Gets Down to Business at
Robert Morris College.
"The biggest preparation
I had for college was being out in
the field. It was difficult and challenging,
but we learned to think differently.
It taught me how to stay focused."
Eddie joined Project Exploration
as a Junior Paleontologist
in 2001. He will be entering Robert
Morris College and plans on majoring
in Business. Eddie will graduate from
John Hope College Prep this year. |
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Elsa
Breaks From Her Studying at Dartmouth.
"I absolutely love
college. My favorite class last term
was on dinosaurs. Project Exploration
opened my interest in science and
I love the subject. I plan on majoring
in biology and concentrating in paleobiology."
Elsa joined Project Exploration as
a Junior
Paleontologist in 2002. She is
finishing her first year at Dartmouth.
She is a graduate from Whitney Young
High School. |
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Manny
is Digging It at Northeastern Illinois
University.
“I am in an introduction
to archeology class. I notice the
similarities between archeology and
paleontology. Taking a class with
Paul [Sereno] last summer and interning
at the Dinosaur Lab helped me know
what to expect in college.”
Manny joined as a Junior Paleontologist
in 2002. He’s currently at Northeastern
Illinois University. He graduated
from Lane Tech High School. |
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This year the first
group of Project Exploration alumni
will receive their college degrees.
Our younger students like Devethia,
Eddie, Elsa, and Manny, are following
the same path that Shuriece Kornegay
and Andres Buitron traveled: they’re
attending college and pursuing careers—
many in science.
These results are exciting and relevant,
at a time when there is growing national
concern that the scientific aptitude
of students in the United States is
diminishing, and overall research
and development is slipping in the
areas of science, math, engineering,
and technology.
Click
here to learn more about the youth
development programs that changed
these students' lives. |
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