The submitted nomination package is in support of a Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM) to recognize outstanding mentoring efforts or programs that enhance the participation of historically underrepresented groups in science, mathematics, and engineering.
The work of Charlena Grimes is well above and beyond her position responsibilities as a staff administrator. This mentoring effort truly reaches, recruits, and retains underrepresented groups in engineering. The Bridge program that was developed by Charlena Grimes has documented success and is a primary component of the nomination. The 14-year old program has improved the departmental retention rate by 20%. Program documentation reflects that more than 663 underrepresented students have participate dint he program; 50 percent earned a degree in STEM (or are very close to degree attainment) and 75 percent earned some degree from WSU, compared to non-Bridge students who have a 67 percent graduation rate.
