DOGE cuts STEM diversity program, ending alliance among nine Ohio universities
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — DOGE cancelled a long-standing federal program working to increase diversity in STEM, affecting nine Ohio universities.
The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) was a federal program supporting intercollegiate alliances to increase diversity in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. The Ohio LSAMP Alliance connected nine Ohio colleges and universities and was one of dozens of programs nationwide. DOGE and the National Science Foundation canceled its funding on May 2, almost 35 years after it was congressionally established.
'I will forever be grateful for the financial, emotional, academic, professional and personal support that LSAMP gave me at The Ohio State University,' LSAMP graduate Katherine Lovelace said. 'It is a tragedy that this program and many others have been cut.'
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The grant was canceled because it no longer aligns with the National Science Foundation's standards by trying to increase diversity and concentrating participation among minority students. To participate, students had to be Black, Hispanic, Indigenous, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Native Pacific Islander and pursue an approved STEM degree at one of the nine colleges.
LSAMP was established by Congress in 1991 and named for former Cleveland Congressman Louis Stokes, Ohio's first Black Representative. Ohio's alliance, housed at Ohio State, was formalized in 2013 and up for renewal this year. The Ohio LSAMP Alliance included six four-year universities and four community colleges:
Central State University
University of Cincinnati
Cleveland State University
Miami University
Ohio State University
Wright State University
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College
Columbus State community college
Cuyahoga Community College
Sinclair Community College
'We were a sub-awardee on this grant; our final funding from the grant was in 2024,' Columbus State spokesperson Brent Wilder said.
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An Ohio State spokesperson also confirmed the funding had been cut, corroborating what was reported on the DOGE website. The move marked the end of Ohio's $4.7 million program, $687,012.35 of which had not yet been paid. The funds had supported participants' mentoring, access to tutoring, professional development opportunities and assistance in research and internships.
Although most Ohio State participants joined LSAMP before their freshman year to participate in a five-day LSAMP orientation boot camp, Lovelace said she joined her sophomore year and continued with LSAMP until her 2024 graduation. Lovelace said LSAMP leaders went above and beyond in their support, shaping her collegiate experience for the better.
Lovelace said on top of advising assistance, LSAMP funding allowed her to present her research at two conferences and helped her afford graduate school applications. She is now a Ph.D. candidate studying statistics at the University of Washington and credits LSAMP with helping her get there.
'The financial support LSAMP provided me allowed me to pursue my education with decreased debt, travel to conferences and apply to graduate schools. I have been very fortunate with my student loans not being too exhaustive, and I have, in part, LSAMP to thank for that,' Lovelace said.
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Derrick Tillman-Kelly, OSU College of Engineering's Chief of Staff, was co-principal investigator of the Louis Stokes Midwest Regional Center of Excellence from 2018 to 2024. He worked to unite and strengthen LSAMP programs across the Midwest and said LSAMP was a 'model program' for increasing STEM participation.
'It was uniquely positioned to develop and share best practices, create local and national communities of support and help STEM fields better reflect national demographics,' Tillman-Kelly said.
The LSAMP cancellations are one of many National Science Foundation cuts affecting universities. Ohio State has lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in canceled research grants from the National Science Foundation in the past month alone.
More cuts could be coming; President Donald Trump's federal budget proposal cut nearly $4.5 billion in research and education, and another $1.1 billion from programs like LSAMP intended to broaden STEM participation.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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