Texas Workforce Commission grant funds math camp scholarships

By Colin Ashby
University News Service
July 15, 2013

The Honors Summer Math Camp program at Texas State University has received a grant from the Texas Workforce Commission to directly fund scholarships for Texas high school students to attend HSMC.

The HSMC, provided by the Mathworks program at Texas State, gives high school students the opportunity to learn critical math problem-solving skills, computer programming skills and teamwork skills. Andrew Hsiau, Mathworks program specialist, said the program focuses on these learning topics to help foster clear and rigorous thinking. He said the objective of the camp is for students to develop persistence, critical thinking skills and communication skills.

“It is critical for students to gain knowledge [about STEM careers]," Hsiau said. "We are proud of the fact that 80 percent of our HSMC alumni go on to major in STEM fields in college.”

Hsiau said that more than 50 percent of the students who attend the camp rely on scholarships due to them coming from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

The Texas Workforce Commission asked host institutions for proposals for STEM camps for Texas students. The Mathworks office sent out a proposal and was awarded the $60,000 grant to be used for the summer 2013 HSMC program.

The grant is part of an effort of the Governor’s Summer Merit Program, which seeks to gain Texas students interest in careers that involve science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

The Honors Summer Math Camp is held on the Texas State campus. Students live in residential halls and during the course of six weeks explore a range of mathematical concepts. The summer camp is taught by university faculty and has undergraduates serving as mentors to students.

The Mathworks HSMC program is in its 24th year this summer. The program runs from the end of June to the beginning of August. Each year approximately 200 applicants apply for the program’s 60 spots.

For more information on the Mathworks Honors Summer Math Camp, please go to the Mathworks homepage at www.txstate.edu/mathworks.