The Washington State University Team Mentoring Program directed by J. Manuel Acevedo has been awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring.
The PAESMEM program, administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF), on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, is the highest honor bestowed upon mentors who work to expand talent in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
Awardees represent schools in all 50 U.S. states, Department of Defense Education Activity schools and schools in the U.S. territories American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
During a visit to the nation’s capital, award recipients will each receive a presidential citation at an awards ceremony and participate in discussions on STEM and STEM education priorities led by OSTP and NSF. Recipients will also receive $10,000 from NSF, which manages the PAEMST and PAESMEM programs.
“On behalf of the White House I am honored to express the nation’s gratitude for the tireless dedication that these men and women bring to educating the next generation of scientists, engineers, and mathematicians,” said Michael Kratsios, deputy assistant to the president for technology policy. “Each day more and more jobs require a strong foundation in STEM education, so the work that you do as teachers and mentors helps ensure that all students can have access to limitless opportunities and the brightest of futures.”
The Team Mentoring Program at WSU provides faculty and student mentors for students pursuing STEM and pre-health majors. The program was designed to grow along with the increasing enrollment of underrepresented groups and the increasing importance of STEM-educated graduates needed in the workforce.
