 The summer leadership and research experience is a week-long summer residential program targeting underrepresented male minority students on the North Carolina School of Science and Math Campus. In 2008, as a response to the UNC Tomorrow Initiative, NCSSM and Joanne Barber accepted the greater challenge by implementing this unique program. The summer leadership and research experience works to encourage minority students to take on leadership roles by creating a support system and exposing students to new possibilities and opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. I was interested in science and math and technology before, but I really don't understand the depth of which you could use all those things. I didn't know that you could incorporate them into every little thing in life. It made me realize how far academics can take you because it's a lot of examples of success stories of people who are in our same situation. So just the sheer importance of academics and how it can be fun too. I didn't think academics was too fun back at home, but up here I find myself to enjoy. Each day of the program, students participate in a variety of activities aimed at acclimating them to the rigors of a fast-paced academic environment. One day we built Lego robots and programmed them. Well, I had never programmed before, so it was a really interesting experience. And I guess it was good that it was Legos because at least I was used to those. We went to information sessions. One was a very helpful one was when the alumni came and they told us how to deal with the school, study tips. And we also got tips from some of the teachers that actually teach here at Science and Math about how to manage your time, how to prepare for testing quizzes. It teaches you where all your resources are and who you can go to for help. And beyond that you build so many strong bonds that it's just unbeatable. Students spend part of each day at North Carolina State University doing research in labs, mentoring with scientists, and getting a feel for what it's like to be part of the scientific community. I know when they sent me the information about the camp and they told us about research, I was like, I do not want to do any kind of research, but it's actually very fun because it's very hands-on. There is a tremendous amount of evidence that participation in research, particularly laboratory research, is a very high impact experience for students, primarily because not only are they experiencing the rigors of the scientific method, but they're working with some outstanding scientists. After the program, nearly two-thirds of the participants applied and received leadership positions in their senior year at Science and Math. A major factor considered in the selection process was junior year academic performance. I'm a rising senior next year and I applied to be a residential lab assistant. So I will be helping the incoming juniors on hall the same way that my R.L.A. has helped me and how people help me in the summer leadership experience. It really gave me a big confidence boost. These leaders help create an inclusive sense of community and an invaluable support system. I mean, it's a great help and I felt it was almost essential because I was having a really stressful time at the beginning of school year, but it would have been even worse if I had to learn the campus and learn where to go and how to function at this school. But since I was given that opportunity, it took a lot of the stress and weight off of me and I was able to function even better. Very few male minorities, Hispanic, Latino, Native Indians are earning their PhD going on to graduate school and getting their PhDs. There's a lack of role models in higher education. There's a lack of role models in the workplace that allows for young people to look up and say, you know, I can be there someday. That's what I want to do. And so that's why it's so critically important. I feel that I was coming from a community totally different from the one that's here. My community wasn't very diverse. It was mostly people of my tribe. And now that I came here, I had to incorporate new people and different people at a different setting even. And it really helped me cope with that. I know from a personal experience, like it helped me get through my situation. So it's more than just get together. It's like sincere support, like choice, love, all of that, you know? It definitely did help. Just because of the strong bonds that we did build during the program. They have lasted. And they probably will last forever.