The goal of the University of Michigan project is to recruit, mentor and graduate African Americans, and women with Ph.D. degrees in engineering who can go on to become faculty members and role models for others. Students will be recruited through individual interviews from a number of small but distinguished regional schools and historically black Colleges. Career plans, desire to succeed and help others, and academic credentials will be the main selection criteria. After selection the seven GEE project students will go through a week long orientation program to sharpen the success skills such as time management, study habits, familiarity with the university, as well as identifying the academic shortcomings in their backgrounds for remedial course work as needed. Each student will have a faculty mentor and role model who will work closely with the student throughout the Ph.D. program. The Gee project will be used as a catalyst to refine recruiting and retention methods for underrepresented groups.
