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Travelers EDGE at Morgan A Pipeline to STEM Careers By Eric Addison
High school students Kristin Weathersby, from Raleigh, N.C., and Ephraim Alfa, from Bowie, Md., participated in Morgan’s Summer Academy of Mathematics and Science (SAMS), a program funded by the Travelers EDGE program.
EDGE Program
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uring a break from their studies at Morgan State University, Kristin Weathersby, from Raleigh, N.C., and Ephraim Alfa, from Bowie, Md., answer questions from a reporter about their participation in Morgan’s Summer Academy of Mathematics and Science (SAMS). Calculus class, a two-day case competition in actuarial science, and learning to get up earlier than they are used to for breakfast are among the experiences they recount, before talking about their future careers. “I don’t know exactly. I know that I want to have a career that involves a lot of numbers,” says Ephraim, whose favorite subject is math. “…I can see myself as an accountant.” “I see myself as a textile engineer,” says Kristin, “hopefully working in the
medical field or the military field….” If looking the part is half the battle, the two high school scholar-athletes — tall, poised and neatly dressed — are well on their way to winning as college students next year. SAMS brings 35 to 50 high school students and recent graduates to Morgan each summer — after a highly competitive application and interview process — to reside on campus; take classes in math, English, computer science, SAT preparation, career exploration and professional development and get used to the rhythms of college life. The program seeks students who are motivated to excel academically and have a strong interest in pursuing mathand science-based careers at the university level.
As participants in SAMS this year, Ephraim and Kristin joined a long list of beneficiaries of Morgan’s partnership with The Travelers Companies, Inc. Travelers has provided major funding for SAMS since the program’s launch in 2009. The funding for SAMS comes from a program called Travelers EDGE (Empowering Dreams for Graduation and Employment), which has a goal of preparing students for careers in the insurance and financial services industry. By providing funding for SAMS, the Travelers EDGE program helps pre-collegiate students enter the “pipeline” to those careers, but it also helps Morgan undergraduates continue the journey.
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MORGAN MAGAZINE VOLUME II 2014
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