For its first 22 years, SECME was an acronym for Southeastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering. In 1997, the name was changed to SECME, Inc. SECME is chartered in the State of Georgia as a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) corporation. Initially its National Office and administrative home has been in the College of Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology in midtown Atlanta.

In creating SECME, the founding Deans acted to address two urgent—and enduring—national challenges: 1) declining engineering enrollments on campuses across the U.S., and 2) growing evidence of shortfalls in technical talent to sustain an economy—and global leadership position—increasingly dependent on technology and innovation as primary engines of growth. Their solution: to tap new talent in two groups then grossly under-represented (at less than 1 percent each) in the engineering profession—namely, minorities and women.

Thus SECME began as a collaborative effort of school districts, engineering universities, business and industry, and government. The noble dream and determined pursuit of the founders was excellence and equity as well as needed change in K-12 education. The school-university partnership was the defining element in the original SECME “framework.” That model is, very intentionally, teacher-centered. But by impacting teachers, it is hoped all students benefit.

The SECME model includes research-based strategies to address the barriers to STEM majors and careers for minorities and girls. These include:

• STEM professional development and classroom resources for teachers

• University partners committed to supporting teachers, early engagement of K-12 students and facilitating career-relevant STEM competitions

• University students and STEM industry mentors and coaches supporting K-12 competition and project teams

 SECME is NOT a curriculum. Many schools, universities and partners have implemented SECME programs as their STEM initiatives or to complement, or enhance existing STEM programs. Click here to learn more about SECME and how you can join the SECME alliance and contribute to our shared goal toward equity and excellence in STEM education.