Mizzou Engineering diversity increases

There is very good news for the University of Missouri College of Engineering's revitalized diversity and outreach initiative as it begins its second year under the direction of J.R. Swanegan.

"Diversity numbers are, in general, up all across campus," said Swanegan of the latest breakdown on the number of black, Latino and Native American students enrolled at MU this fall. "But I'm looking at the Mizzou Engineering numbers and I'm saying, ‘Wow!' Freshman numbers are up by 50 percent."

Fully 10.46 percent of the freshman class falls into these "specified diversity" categories due in large part to Swanegan's targeted recruiting and outreach efforts.

High school visits in Columbia, Kansas City and St. Louis have paid off, as has cooperation with groups like "Project Lead the Way." Targeted recruiting lured promising students to the College's Summer Camps for high school students in the summer of 2008, and seven of those young men and women showed up on campus as engineering freshmen this fall.

Swanegan believes that the monthly newsletter he produces has raised visibility with the high school guidance counselors who receive it, as well as others who are happy to share news about Mizzou Engineering with potential students.

"The grade point average of students participating in the diversity program last year was 3.265, higher than the average engineering student, in general," said Swanegan.

Overall, 6.68 percent of all those attending Mizzou Engineering are diversity students.

"We still have a way to go," said Swanegan. "But the numbers this fall are significant. It's gratifying."