University of Southern California Campus – Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard congratulated 44 campers on their graduation from the new University of Southern California’s (USC) ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp. Participating students in the free two-week program attend area schools including Murchison Elementary School and Sheridan Elementary School, both in Boyle Heights, in the 34th District. USC is the only university in California selected for the science camp program which is devoted to encouraging students from disadvantaged communities to develop an interest in math and science. Students live in on-campus dorms and attend science, technology, and math courses. Participants also attend field trips to local museums and science centers. Pictured in the second photo, the congresswoman recognizes the program’s founder, Dr. Bernard Harris, M.D., the first African American to walk in space. Dr. Harris is a trained aerospace flight surgeon and holds numerous honors and faculty appointments. He currently serves as president of the Harris Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization he founded in 1988 to develop math and science education and crime prevention programs for youth. The summer camp is a collaborative effort between his foundation and the ExxonMobil Foundation, which funds the camp and provides its scientists to assist students with experiments, facilitate on site tours, and advise students on pursuing careers in math, science, and engineering.