An Astrophysical Research Program for Underrepresented Minority Students

South Carolina State University's (SCSU) Center for NASA Research and Technology has conducted a summer research program in astrophysics for underrepresented minority students from minority institutions during the summers from 1998 through 2003. Over nearly 50 undergraduates have participated. They represent minority institutions from California, Texas, New Mexico, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Vigina, Maryland, New York and the Virgin Islands. Currently the program consists of a two-tier system. The first summer is spent in residence at SCSU as a pre-REU program in astrophysics. Qualified students spend a second summer in an REU-like program working with researchers at the Goddard Spaceflight Center, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory or the Kitt Peak National Observatory. We wish to acknowledge the generous support of NASA through grants to SCSU from NASA MU-SPIN NCC 5-116 and 5-534, the NASA OSS NAG 5-10145 and NASA URC NCCW-0085.