Initiatives

We are planning several initiatives, including mentorship and networking platforms. Our initiatives fall into two broad categories: BAA programs (for BAA members, affiliates, and Black students) and already-existing IMSA programs that the BAA will support.

BAA initiatives

We are still crafting our list of initiatives, but we will focus our efforts around our stated goals:

  • student engagement

  • alumni engagement

  • mentorship

  • creating Black intellectual spaces at IMSA

Fill out our membership survey to officially join the BAA and receive our email updates.

Please join our open Facebook community for timely updates: IMSA Minority Recruitment and Retention Interest Group

IMSA initiatives

These are ongoing programs at IMSA that we want to support by increasing Black representation and providing a justice lens.

  • Promise and Excel Extension Program (PEEP) - PEEP is a program developed for our students who have participated and come through our pipeline and/or our bridging programs. The purpose of the program is to support a diverse community of learners to engage in collective inquiry, and work to develop strategies to navigate the individual’s learning trajectory.

    The program provides academic and social-emotional support for Culturally, Linguistically and Economically Diverse (CLED) students. One key feature of the PEEP program is alumni mentoring for our CLED students where we would like to create capacity for a cyber and physical interaction between our students and our alumni. Monthly, we will host a 45 minute web session where students can enjoy light refreshments and a discussion with an alumni in the fields of engineering, mathematics, science, law, etc. We are compiling a list of alumni who are eager to assist our students in gaining a first-hand perspective of their experiences at IMSA and how it has shaped them in their lives and careers today. We will follow-up those sessions, by placing any interested student with an alumni for 1-on-1 guidance.

  • College Career Choices (CCC) Forum - IMSA’s College and Academic Counselors and certain student-led clubs hold periodic panels to introduce all students to different career paths such as Medicine, Data Science, and Business. We are encouraging BAA Members to volunteer to serve on these panels to increase Black representation.

  • Intersession - Intersession is a week long learning opportunity, offered between first and second semester. Sessions are taught by faculty, staff, students, alumni, and outside guests. Session topics include math and science, cultural studies, hobbies and life skills, fine arts as well as off-campus educational trips and more. We are encouraging BAA Members and Affiliates to lead intersession courses, especially justice-minded ones. If you are interested in creating your own intersession focusing on racial justice topics or interested in joining the following proposed intersessions, please email us at imsablackalumni@gmail.com

    • Data for Black Lives

    • Race and Health Outcomes