Stanford University has announced a new program aimed at giving more support to minority graduate students.

The effort, to cost $4.5 million, will provide two-year fellowships and faculty mentors to 36 graduate students over the next four years.

While the number of African-American, Hispanic and American-Indian undergraduate students at Stanford increased 20 percent since 1995, the numbers of those minorities among graduate students has decreased 13 percent since then.

The program will also provide communication and leadership skills to doctoral students during the final two years of their studies so they are in better position to win jobs at other universities once they leave Stanford.

"Truly great universities require a diverse community of scholars with a breadth of backgrounds and experiences," Provost John Etchemendy said. "This program will provide us with innovative tools to address one of the most significant problems facing not just Stanford but most of the nation's colleges and universities in the 21st century."