Pre-College Programs (PCP)

In 1976 in response to the demand for qualified minority engineers, INROADS/Chicago and INROADS/Milwaukee initiated pre-engineering programs. INROADS/St; Louis and INROADS/Cleveland and other affiliates followed with pre-college programs empathizing both engineering and business. INROADS was one of the first organizations in the country to not only realize the lack of preparation in math and science among minorities in the high schools but to develop a program to help elevate the lack of preparation.

In 1977, General Electric to celebrate their 100 Anniversary, developed a mobile science and math laboratory with the purpose of promoting what today is called STEM. In Milwaukee, INROADS was able to persuade GE to loan the mobile lab to INROADS for two months. During this time the LAB was parked in every elementary and high schools and more than 15,000 students had a hands on experience with the technology developed by GE.

As a result, INROADS was a pioneer in not only developing an organization that recruited, trained, and provided an internship program but was a pioneer in promoting math and science among minorities across the country, many years before STEM became popular.

Pre-College Programs were hosted by a local college. The initial pre-college programs were started in Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Louis. Most emphasized either business or engineering because of the need for students in those areas and the small number of students prepared to succeed in college in those areas. The following Universities hosted a pre-college program at some time during the first thirty years for an INROADS affiliate:

Charlotte:

University of North Carolina/Charlotte

Chicago:

University of Illinois/Chicago

Cincinnati:

Miami University (Middletown)

University of Cincinnati

Houston:

Rice University

Jacksonville:

University of North Florida

Kansas City:

Rock Hurst College

University of Kansas

University of Missouri/Kansas City

University of Missouri/Columbia

Milwaukee/Wisconsin:

University of Wisconsin/Milwaukee

Beloit College

Minneapolis–St Paul:

University of Minnesota/Twin Cities Campus

St. Olaf College

Carleton College

Nashville:

Middle Tennessee State University

Tennessee State University

University of Tennessee/Knoxville

Northeast Ohio/Cleveland:

Cleveland State University

John Carroll University

Kent State University

University of Akron

Northern New Jersey:

Rutgers University/Newark

Pittsburgh:

Carlow College

Duquesne University

Indiana University of Pennsylvania

University of Pittsburgh

St. Louis:

University of Missouri/St. Louis

Washington University

Southern Illinois University/Edwardsville

West Virginia:

West Virginia State College

John Marshall University