Fort Valley State University to Honor U of A's Boss, Kvamme

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Steve Boss and Jo Ann Kvamme

Steve Boss, professor of geosciences, and Jo Ann Kvamme, assistant director for the environmental dynamics graduate program, will be honored with the Cooperative Developmental Energy Program Service Award for 2018 presented at the Fort Valley State University Industry Awards Banquet on Feb. 25. The University of Arkansas has been a partner with Fort Valley State University since 2010.

Each summer, rising junior high school students from around the United States come to the University of Arkansas for a week-long summer camp focusing on STEM skills. The program known as the Math, Science and Engineering Academy (M-SEA) aids in early exposure and interest in the STEM fields. The camp is funded through cooperation between Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley, Georgia and the U of A's J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering.

In February each year, students who have completed M-SEA program are given the opportunity to join the Cooperative Developmental Energy Program at Fort Valley State University and receive a full scholarship for their undergraduate degree. Once the students complete the Fort Valley bachelors, they are also awarded a scholarship to attend one of the university's partner schools for a second bachelor's in either engineering or geosciences.

The students completing M-SEA and accepting the scholarship to Fort Valley State University will be honored at the Fort Valley State Career Day Conference Feb. 24-27. Additionally, students are recognized who have completed their bachelor's degrees in math, chemistry or biology and are now ready to transfer to one of the partner schools, including the University of Arkansas. The Transfer Ceremony, which is part of the Career Day Conference, recognizes these Fort Valley graduates and affords the partner schools the opportunity to welcome the students and encourage future graduates to attend their institutions.

The University of Arkansas has hosted 154 Math, Science and Engineering Academy scholars, 28 transfer students and six graduate students from Fort Valley State University through this program.