Emerging Scholars Program (ESP) 
 
ESP is an honors Calculus and Pre-calculus program designed to increase the number of students, particularly minority and female students, who succeed and excel in Mathematics. It is based on the "Workshop" concept developed by Uri Treisman at Berkeley. Wayne's ESP began in Fall, 1991, under the sponsorship of the College of Liberal Arts, with one section of MAT 2010 (first semester calculus). In Winter, 1992 we expanded to one section of MAT 2010 and one section of MAT 2020 (second semester calculus). In Fall, 1992 we broke new ground as one of only a few universities in the country to extend ESP to MAT 1800 (pre-calculus). The academic success of students in these courses is truly exceptional. 

The philosophy of ESP rests upon two principles: a commitment to excellence and the use of collaborative learning. The academic component of ESP consists of a four hour per week class coupled with a workshop (meeting for two two-hour sessions) which students take in addition to their regular class. In the workshop, students work in groups on challenging problems and keep a written journal of problems solved. The workshop is run by a Graduate Teaching Assistant and an undergraduate assistant. It carries two credits on an S/U basis. The non-academic component provides support and counseling for ESP students, ranging from finding jobs and scholarships to organizing social events to foster a sense of community. This component has been handled by Joan Italia, Program Coordinator. Professor Steven Kahn is the Emerging Scholar Program Director. 

For information, contact the ESP Student Coodinator at (313) 577-2596.

Last updated Fall 1997

Return to Mathematics for Undergraduates