Greetings

In 1997, COSAM welcomed the first cohort of 27 students to the Summer Bridge Program. Developed and implemented by Dr. Overtoun Jenda, with the support of Dean Stewart Schneller, this program was designed to help students majoring in STEM fields to successfully transition to college. The program focused on academic preparedness, time management, and career awareness for students who have been historically excluded in STEM. Twenty-five years later the mission of the program has stayed the same, to provide academic and social support that will prepare students holistically for the rigors of STEM.

Since its inception, over 800 students have participated in this program. I've had the pleasure of meeting past participants over the years. The sentiment is always the same, the Summer Bridge Program not only gave them the foundation to be successful academically , but also created a community of like-minded individuals that became life-long friends.

We hope you will join us over the coming year as we celebrate this momentous occasion, and the impact Summer Bridge has made for so many Auburn University students. In recognition of the 25th anniversary, I am pleased to announce an initiative to raise $1 million dollars which will be used to create an endowed professorship, provide study abroad opportunities, and expand scholarship availability for deserving students.

We invite you to partner with us as we continue to provide students with the holistic support necessary to ensure many diverse voices and perspectives are represented in STEM. Please contact me to learn more about how you can help us achieve our goals.

War Eagle!