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Elite Leaders in the Lab
An innovative scholarship program is preparing Artis College of Science and Technology (ACSAT) students to become the leaders of tomorrow.
ELITES, Emerging Leaders in Technology, Science and Mathematics (STEM), is a unique opportunity for students to develop and enhance key leadership skills that are not generally associated with STEM areas of study.
Assistant Professor of Mathematics Jean Mistele, the ELITES student advisor, explains:
“The idea of STEM leaders is different than what you typically think about organizational leaders, where you want an outgoing personality to lead the people in the organization. STEM leaders generally are going to be leaders within a lab environment or a leader in the research field.”
Many STEM students are introverted, Mistele added. Their comfort zone is often in front of a computer screen or behind a microscope. By encouraging them to interact with other students and faculty, practice public speaking and engage in research, students will enter the workforce better prepared to tackle challenges, embrace diversity and lead others in a STEM field.
Currently, ELITES is part of the RU-NextGen: Preparing the Next Generation of Leaders in Science, Technology and Mathematics project funded in 2014 through 2019 by the National Science Foundation.
As of spring 2017, five students have graduated with ELITES distinction.
Rising sophomore and Bland County, Virginia, native Cole Faulkner, a pre-med student majoring in biology, said ELITES has pushed him to be more active on campus.
“The program was a great choice to make because it can and has already helped further my career as an undergraduate student,” he said. “It takes a lot of time out of my week, but it’s worth it.”
ELITES students sharpen their skills in four distinct categories: research, communication, career development and management and service. Tasks within each category are assigned points, ranging from one to 10. To successfully complete the program, a student must earn a minimum of 20 points.
The extracurricular activities the students engage in, the posters and research they present, the symposiums and conferences they attend, the internships they apply for — all the tasks are STEM focused, Mistele said. A major component of the program is faculty mentorship through research studies and other types of projects.
Mistele is in regular contact with students to make sure they stay on track. Her major concern is ensuring the students are academically strong, followed by their progress in ELITES. Students are encouraged to engage with their professors to reach academic success and success in the program by engaging in research projects and learning about other opportunities in which they can enhance their STEM leadership skills.
“It’s definitely not a program where they leave you and let you go about your day,” said biology major Kyanna Jenkins. “They check in on you and form a bond with you.”
Jenkins, a rising senior, has been participating in undergraduate research since her freshman year with Associate Professor of Biology Tara Phelps-Durr.
“It’s been amazing,” said Jenkins, who conducts botany research. “ELITES has pushed me to do these things; to strive beyond just getting a good GPA.”
In addition to pursuing undergraduate research, Faulkner is also a teaching assistant and peer mentor –two tasks he can check off his ELITES list.
“Being a peer mentor has been a fulfilling role to play,” he said. “Just telling other students, ‘Hey, I’ve been in your shoes.’ ‘I know what you’re going through.’ ‘I’m here to help you succeed.’”
ELITES was one of the main reasons Jenkins, of Norfolk, decided to attend Radford University.
Hanna Mitchell ’17, of Vienna, Virginia, was part of the first cohort of students to be accepted into the ELITES program in 2014. She is one of three who graduated with the distinction this spring.
While at Radford, Mitchell admitted she was one of those rare “extroverted” STEM students.
“I’ve always been really outgoing. I was president of the STEM Club and Math Club,” she said. “But ELITES gave me added reassurance that I was on the right track.”
With that extra confidence boost in her pocket, Mitchell said she’s now exploring graduate school programs. She wants to work with young women and show them how being involved in STEM fields can improve their self-esteem. ■
