Pictured are Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge, a Warrensville Heights Democrat whose largely Black 11th congressional district extends to Cleveland, and Congressman Mike Turner, a Dayton area Republican

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, Ohio's most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog and top in the Midwest.Tel: (216) 659-0473 and Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com

WASHINGTON, D.C –U.S. Rep. Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11) and Rep. Mike Turner (OH-10) on Thursday introduced the Supporting Minority STEM Student to Career Act to improve the delivery of targeted resources to underrepresented students in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.

Though America will need to add at least a million more STEM professionals to meet work force demands by the year 2022, African-American children are the least likely ethnic group to enter the science and technology fields, a report by the U.S. Department of Labor reveals.

The bill updates the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program by allowing institutions to provide scholarships to students from underrepresented populations pursuing STEM degrees.  It also invests in institutions’ ability to provide minority students studying STEM with comprehensive wrap-around services such as peer mentoring, community building activities, tutoring and study groups, supplemental instruction, internships, research experiences, and career and financial counseling.

“Minority representation continues to lag in STEM, which accounts for some of the highest paying and fastest growing jobs in today’s economy,” said Rep. Fudge, a Warrensville Heights Democrat whose largely Black 11th congressional district includes the majority Black and impoverished city of Cleveland.  “We have a responsibility to prepare all students for the ever-changing world of work by improving higher education opportunities, promoting educational equity, and increasing minority and under-served student access to high-quality STEM education programs. "

The future is STEM, said Fudge, “and I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation to ensure minority students can obtain the resources, services, and skills needed to enter the STEM field.”

Rep Turner agrees.

“I am proud to be the lead Republicans on this bill to make pursuing an education and career in the STEM field more accessible and affordable for minority students, including those at Central State University and Wilberforce University in my district,” said  Turner, a Dayton area Republican.

Science and technology affiliates are elated with the bill and hoping for its passage.

“We are proud to support this bill, which would expand the STEM workforce by promoting the success of underrepresented minorities, women, and other high-need populations in STEM career pathways,” said James Brown, executive director of the STEM Education Coalition. “In the hyper-competitive global economy, our nation must provide every student with an interest in the critical STEM fields – from every background."

Reps Fudge and Turner said the bill would empower the existing Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program to "deliver these kinds of support to the students that will most benefit from them."

A former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Fudge is one of only two Blacks in Congress from Ohio, the other of whom is Rep. Joyce Beatty of Columbus.

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, Ohio's most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog and top in the Midwest.Tel: (216) 659-0473 and Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com