September 23, 2004

Though Sylvia Foster has retired from the University of Houston, her impact on students will continue for years to come.

That’s why the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NSM) recently honored her and her legacy as founder and director of its Scholar Enrichment Program (SEP) and executive director of the Houston Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (H-LSAMP).

Foster, who began her career at UH in 1992, established and directed SEP. The program is an enrichment and retention program for undergraduate students majoring primarily in natural sciences, mathematics, computer science, engineering, medicine, pharmacy, optometry and technology. One of the key ways SEP retains students is by offering special workshops to augment the lecture sections of difficult courses such as algebra.

Foster also led H-LSAMP, a program designed to increase the number of underrepresented students who graduate with bachelor’s degrees in the sciences, mathematics, engineering and technology areas. NSM Dean John L. Bear is the principal investigator of H-LSAMP, which is housed on campus. Funded by the National Science Foundation, H-LSAMP comprises six universities and two community colleges. UH leads the consortium.

Christopher Miller, a former SEP participant and the program’s new director, applauded Foster’s commitment to students.

“Dr. Foster showed me what it meant to truly invest in the futures of the students here —the time, energy, patience, concern and love that goes into each student,” said Miller, who also is the director of
UH’s H-LSAMP. “I have always felt that I was meant to influence and help others. I only hope that I can provide a fraction of the positive influence that Dr. Foster has provided all of us.”