The University of Missouri continues to struggle with attracting minority students and retaining them through graduation, despite having large populations of minority groups in the state.  The University attributes their recruitment and retention problems to a number of factors—both internal and external.  For example, many students would be the first in their families to attend college and come from poorer areas of the state.  Many also have more obligations to their families or are self-supporting.  University administrators also contend that the lack of minority faculty members makes it tough for the University to provide mentors for African American students, particularly in the sciences.

In response, the University is now running a number of programs to recruit minority students.  In June, the Minority Achievement Committee Scholars program held its summer academy, giving high school students the chance to spend a week in the dorms and classrooms, getting a taste of the college experience. MU has hired full-time staff to recruit in the area high schools as well as assist in the application and financial aid processes at a select number of high schools and community colleges. A number of science grants now exist to provide money and mentorship for graduate and post-graduate study for minorities and the McNairs Scholars program does the same for first-generation students and those from underrepresented groups.

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