Coming together to help grow the next generation of computing leaders

Innovative program connects minority computer science students at tier-1 universities to prepare them for future success

EL Alliance students at the 2007 Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing. Click here for more information.

Javier Rosa is a on a mission. As an undergraduate at Rutgers University double-majoring in computer science and mathematics, he hopes to one day pursue an advanced degree in computer science with a focus on computational biology or bioinformatics and work to fight cancer.

Many college students studying at top-tier research universities have similarly ambitious goals, but two factors make Javier's academic journey particularly remarkable. For one thing, his passion for fighting cancer is personal--he was diagnosed with testicular cancer last year. Secondly, he is one of the few students from a minority background studying computer science at a tier-one research institution.

According to Richard A. Tapia, professor at Rice University, many minority students enrolled in undergraduate computer science programs at these institutions feel isolated and unsupported. As a result, he says, many leave the field to pursue a different major. "Students migrate to more welcoming degree programs," Tapia says, "where they feel they have support and a high probability of success."

Tapia and colleagues at nearly a dozen universities have teamed up with private industry and other groups to provide that support and prevent what he calls the "loss of the precious few" minority students majoring in computer science. He serves as director of the Empowering Leadership (EL) Alliance, an organization supported by funding from the National Science Foundation to provide these students with a community of support as they pursue their degrees.

"At the nation's top institutions, there are many choices inside and outside the university environment that offer vibrant opportunities and a welcoming environment," Tapia says. "We aim to provide both within the computing disciplines."