Wolff said the underrepresented minority issue on average tends to be more of an academic-preparation issue largely around math. This is because a large number of MSU’s underrepresented minority students come from areas such as Detroit, where high schools are only graduating a small number of their students.

“Raw talent is in everyone including women, minorities, international students and so forth,” Wolff said. “To turn that raw talent into skills and sometimes perseverance takes work on everyones part.”

Last week, MSU’s Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, or SHPE, held Noche de Ciencias, which is spanish for “Science Night,” catered to raising the low numbers of Hispanics and other minorities in the STEM fields.

Focused on elementary- and middle school-aged children, the event held a series of interactive STEM workshops and demonstrations to spark interest for students at a young age.

“We are trying to mold students to pursue degrees in STEM fields,” said chemical engineering junior Juan Mena, who serves as the club’s academic chair. “We have a set of activities and workshops in different areas of engineering and science that can raise a curiosity in kids.”

MSU’s student leadership coordinator for the Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives, Ignacio Andrade attended Noche de Ciencias with his 4-year-old son, Tizoc. Andrade said his son already has taken interest in engineering and wants to guide him into a STEM focused field in the company of other kids his age.

“We wanted him to be exposed to STEM fields in an age appropriate fun way,” Andrade said. “At school they don’t focus on STEM, they have legos and that kind of stuff.”

Among other programs, MSU started a six-week Summer Bridge Program five years ago where incoming students take courses in math, sciences and study skills before starting regular classes in the fall. Wolff said, the programs are meant to generate success for minorities thinking about going into STEM majors.