Math-Science-Leadership Program (MSL)

Special Notice for 2023

Dear MSL Students and Families,

To say the world has vastly changed in the last few years is an understatement. The pandemic has led us all to re-evaluate our priorities and shift our thinking and that includes the University of Washington Tacoma’s Math Science Leadership (MSL) Program.

Over the last few years Pre-Collegiate programming, which has been the host of MSL, has been reconfigured at the university and we now fall under First Generation Student Initiatives. With this change comes a shift in thinking through how our youth programming fits with the First Generation programming. Our focus is now moving towards aligning with college-going practices and concentrating on preparing future First Generation students for purposeful higher education pathways.

All this being said, it is now time for the sad news. UW Tacoma will not be hosting the Math Science Leadership Program this summer 2023. Aside from the reasons mentioned above we also just do not have the financial or staffing capacity to host the program as we have in the past.

For the coming summer, we are currently working on creating a virtual program for students to explore college and career readiness while investigating different pathways to various post-secondary options and finding what will help them with their future goals. Once we have all of the logistics worked out we will contact each of you for the opportunity to take place in our new programming. Other educational options for this summer can be found at Tacoma Learns, which is an online directory connecting families and students to youth programming and Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELO) in Tacoma and all of Pierce County. Our campus will also be hosting Gen Cyber Tacoma this summer which is a free week-long cybersecurity camp for middle and high school students. Once the information is ready for the Gen Cyber camp, we will share it with you.

While this may not be the news that everyone wants to hear, we here at UW Tacoma are excited about our future programming and will be sure to share opportunities with you in the future.

Overview

Since 2003, the Math-Science-Leadership Program (MSL) has been creating positive educational experiences that enhance academic success and access to career pathways in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). MSL serves youth in 8th - 11th grade that are historically underrepresented in STEM (low-income, minority, female, and potential first-generation college students).

MSL brings together youth with students and faculty from UW Tacoma for an engaging three-week summer program and community-building monthly events throughout the school year. MSL develops supportive cohorts that build positive science-linked identities, academic and leadership skills over four years and creates capacity for community-serving institutions to collaboratively increase youths’ ability to participate in the economies of the future.

By bringing together the ideas and needs of community groups that serve youth, post-secondary institutions of learning and industry, MSL fosters these long-term impacts:

  • Reducing achievement gaps for students in science and mathematics compared to peers who have not participated in MSL
  • Increasing diversity of students who enroll in and complete STEM college degrees
  • Increase Tacoma community engagement in youth STEM informal education efforts