Texas A&M University (TAMU) is currently the only institution in the state of Texas that offers a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in meteorology. This drastically limits the opportunities for students in this state to become trained in meteorology, and then go on to meet future state and national workforce needs related to weather and hydrologic forecasting. Students in the predominantly Hispanic institutions of South Texas may be disproportionately discouraged from pursuing meteorology degrees at TAMU because 1) they prefer to attend colleges closer to their homes and those with larger Hispanic student populations; 2) their high schools have not adequately prepared them to apply and be admitted to TAMU given its rigorous academic acceptance policies; or 3) they and their families do not understand or appreciate the possibilities associated with a career in the geosciences. This short-term pilot project is designed to expand opportunities for Texas undergraduates to obtain B.S. degrees in meteorology. Project involves collaborators include: TAMU, College of Geosciences, Departments of Atmospheric Sciences and Oceanography; Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi (a Hispanic serving institution with 36% Hispanic students) College of Science and Technology, Department of Physical and Life Sciences; Texas A&M University - Kingsville (a Hispanic serving institution with 63% Hispanic students) College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Physics and Geosciences; and Texas A&M International University (Laredo) (a Hispanic serving institution with 90% Hispanic students) College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biology and Chemistry, Center for Earth and Environmental Studies (which offers a minor in Earth Sciences), and South Texas Center for Hydrometeorology. This project creates options for students to transfer to TAMU to study meteorology after two years at their home institution through articulation agreements and number of coordinated activities to inform, engage, and build excitement about the geosciences through a one week Summer Meteorology Program, visiting student mentoring with mentors drawn from the TAMU student chapter of the American Meteorological Society, student attendance with mentors at annual professional society meetings and building increased awareness of the societal relevance of the geosciences.
