Only 30 out of every 10,000 financially needy students who reach the ninth grade complete college with a degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. And of those 30, only one or two go on to earn graduate degrees in those fields, according to statistics gathered by the Council for Opportunity in Education.

A new institute, created by the nonprofit council, wants to increase that number. The Louis Stokes Institute for Opportunity in STEM Education, which opens today, will provide training for educators and resources for low-income, first-generation, and minority students in those fields. The institute is named for Louis Stokes, a retired congressman who advocated increased educational opportunities for disadvantaged students during the 41 years he served Cleveland in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Those to be served by the institute include the approximately 850,000 students already involved in the federal TRIO programs, which help prepare needy students for college. A majority of students in the TRIO programs come from families with annual incomes under $30,975. —Ingrid Norton