With support from the Clare Boothe Luce (CBL) Program for Women in STEM, Lafayette College will offer 48 undergraduate research scholarships for female students majoring in engineering. In addition to providing research opportunities and faculty mentors, Lafayette’s program will include a chance for the scholars to mentor female K–12 students as well as an “ally” component that will encourage engagement and conversations with male peers in order to reinforce a culture of equity and inclusion.

“The experience increases [women’s] confidence, broadens their ability to explain their research externally, and creates a sense of belonging,” says Professor Lauren Anderson, Associate Professor and Department Head of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Co-Director of the Lafayette’s CBL Program. “In addition, half of the CBL Scholars in the previous cohort received national research awards.”

The Henry Luce Foundation has awarded a $243,276 grant to Lafayette College through its Clare Boothe Luce (CBL) Program for Women in STEM. This three-year grant will support 48 female undergraduate research scholars majoring in engineering through faculty-mentored research, along with related programs and activities. Of the 48 scholars, 24 will be supported by the College.

This prestigious and timely award comes as Lafayette celebrates the 50th anniversary of women at the College. It will support Lafayette’s continued efforts to provide opportunities for women while partnering with a national leader to shape women’s role in STEM fields. The grant also will advance an inclusive culture for the education of women engineers, with an emphasis on supporting the success of women of color. This award is the second grant received from the Henry Luce Foundation to support CBL Scholars. In 2016, Lafayette received a $150,000 grant from the Clare Boothe Luce Program as well as funding from Heidi Ludwick Hanson ’91 and Daniel Hanson and the William T. Morris Foundation, which provided 50 summer research opportunities, graduate school preparation, and participation at national conferences. The program was so successful that it was extended to a fourth summer in 2019, with supplemental support provided by the College and the above-mentioned external funders.

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