Freeman A. Hrabowski III

I started this book expecting it to be a quick, light read like several of the others of this sort that I've reviewed. Instead, it was packed with thinking: I cannot believe I got it through the Early Reviewers program.
In his first chapter, Hrabowski discusses some of his experiences growing up with those who had directly experienced the segregated South. For the most part, the rest of the book discusses the founding of the Meyerhoff program, initially aimed at helping promising Black men achieve in STEM fields, and later expanded to women. Hrabowski details which aspects of the Meyerhoff program were significant in its achieving success, and how faculty and students at UMBC responded to its creation. As a teacher, I gained further understanding of my Black students' experience and cultural background, and came away from the book with several ideas for my classroom.… (más)

Not only is this book inspirational, it gives a great history lesson from a point of view that we often don't hear. This point of view is from Dr. Hrabowski, a child growing up in the south during the civil rights movement. He describes not only the struggles, but the successes he experiences during his schooling. I enjoyed reading about his life and appreciated the support and encouragement he received from his parents. As he moved on with his career, he set up programs which opened up countless opportunities for exceptional minority students to advance in STEM. These programs were then offered to all students. This book is a great read for all! Dr. Hrabowski is a true role model.… (más)