The Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM) recognizes outstanding mentoring efforts or programs that enhance the participation of historically underrepresented groups in science, mathematics, and engineering.
Saundra Y. McGuire, associate dean for University College at Louisiana State University, has been mentoring students since she was a teaching assistant (TA) in her first year of graduate school. Early on, as an undergraduate starting college, she experienced a lack of preparedness for a chemistry class. With the help of another student, she was tutored and made an "A" in the course. Subsequently, she realized that her success in chemistry had depended upon understanding fundamental concepts. As a TA for an introductory chemistry course, she helped her students develop a conceptual framework for the material. Since then, her 35-year academic career has been focused on mentoring and teaching others how to mentor and how to learn. McGuire has authored at least five publications on mentoring minority students in science and has presented those papers at a variety of Chemical and Physics society conferences. The publications include resource and study guides for faculty and students.
