Dartmouth College has announced the establishment of a $100 million program – Dartmouth STEM-X – to increase access and leadership opportunities for historically underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and prepare the next generation of leaders in these fields.
The initiative is being funded in part by a lead gift of $25 million from Jim Coulter and his wife Penny. Jim Coulter is the co-founder of the private equity firm TPG in Fort Worth, Texas. The college has secured an additional $35 million in other private gifts from alumni and leaders in the American technology sector. Dartmouth plans on raising $40 million in additional funds to endow the STEM-X program, which will focus on student diversity in STEM programs, faculty recruitment, and research and scholarship. The program will include an undergraduate scholarship program with the goal of enhancing STEM participation by students from underrepresented groups.
In announcing the new initiative, Philip J. Hanlon, president of Dartmouth College, stated that “we are acting on two contrary truths — American innovation benefits greatly when diverse perspectives are applied to a problem, and yet the pipeline of advanced-degree recipients in STEM from underrepresented groups falls far short of representation levels in our society. The Coulters join us in tackling this challenge head-on with the goal of dramatically improving the U.S. innovation ecosystem through the development of a broad-based and diverse talent pool in the STEM fields.”
“The stakes for society are high. We must channel the creativity and innovative thinking of today’s students to shape the creation and implementation of new technologies,” added Jim Coulter. “To meet the challenges of tomorrow we need all the talent we can muster and teach. Dartmouth can do its part by embracing diversity as we recruit and educate future STEM leaders.”
