a 30-year-old nonprofit that works to build and grow corporate, government, and academic alliances. “In order for HBCUs to continue


M


to attract, educate, graduate, and place minority students in STEM careers, it is critical that industry and agencies continue to support sustainable strategic partnerships with the HBCUs,” Ms. Nelson said. HBCUs have a rich and storied


tradition as teaching institutions, observes Dr. McCrary, vice president of research at Morgan State University. “They have been there to teach


people, to grant them degrees where they did not have an opportunity elsewhere. But opportunities are different from 40, 50, 100 years ago,” he notes. “Many of our people who received


higher degrees became doctors, teachers, lawyers, or clergy. Nowadays, when a student gets off the stage, he or she has to have the ability to get a job offer letter. Particularly in the STEM disciplines, it is extremely important to have that research experience,“ Dr. McCrary said.


New Skills for Digital Age


Since 2003, HBCU engineering deans and the AMIE partnership have completed Career Communications Group’s (CCG) Top Supporters of HBCU Engineering Schools survey, which is conducted by US Black Engineer & Information Technology (USBE) magazine. While making their decision, deans


consider support for infrastructure modernization and enhancement, research, participation on advisory councils, faculty development opportunities, scholarships, student projects, stipends, internship and co-op opportunities, and job offers related to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. The 15 HBCUs invited to participate in the 2017 survey are Alabama A&M University, Florida A&M University, Hampton University, Howard University,


24 USBE&IT | DEANS ISSUE 2017


s. Nelson is also the new executive of Advancing Mi- norities’ Interest in Engineering (AMIE),


Jackson State University, Morgan State University, North Carolina A&T State University, Norfolk State University, Prairie View A&M University, Southern University and A&M College, Tennessee State University, Tuskegee University, University of the District of Columbia, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, and Virginia State University. These 15 schools produce 33 percent


of America’s Black engineers. Ms. Nelson says that her HBCU


experience gave her access to an engaging environment and provided her with increased access to career opportunities.


“I was supplied the tools I needed


to thrive and be successful in corporate America,” she said. Nelson has over 20 years of


experience in engineering and engineering management, including the development of the first Automated Surface Mount Assembly Line in Northrop Grumman’s Mission Systems Sector. She also managed career pathways programs, diversity recruiting, new graduate professional development rotation programs, interns/co-op programs and university relations, and recruiting at the fifth largest defense contractor in the world, with more than 65,000 employees. More recently, she served as a senior associate at Booz Allen Hamilton, an American management consulting firm headquartered in Virginia, in the Greater Washington, DC, area, with 80 other offices around the globe. Top Supporters are global companies such as Northrop Grumman and Booz Allen, U.S. government agencies, and not-for-profits that are major contributors to the institutional missions of HBCU engineering schools. “People want to work for an


employer that is committed to their community,” explained Career Communications Group’s chief content officer and publisher Dr. Tyrone Taborn at the launch of the list in 2003. “The list is important because, for many years, corporate America’s relationship with HBCUs and non- HBCUs has not been equitable. Corporate execs tend to support the college they came from. If you don’t have HBCU graduates in your executive ranks, you don’t think about Black colleges. The total amount of corporate


support Black schools receive does not reflect the level of services they provide,” Dr. Taborn said.


Importance of HBCUs in University and Diversity


Recruiting No doubt about it, HBCUs are


a rich resource for talent. They provide graduates that are prepared to produce new solutions for the world’s challenging problems. HBCUs play a key role in generating the knowledge, innovation, and talent required to grow America’s businesses and not only maintain but increase our global competitiveness. “Our Top HBCU Supporters


understand the importance of supporting and developing strategic partnerships to drive innovation and achieve diversity in the STEM workforce,” Ms. Nelson said. To mark the fifteenth year of the


Top Supporters survey, private and government supporters have been ranked in five hierarchies based on the number of survey mentions since 2003. “2017 will mark the fifteenth year of


the Top Supporters list,” said Rayondon Kennedy, managing editor for Career Communications Group. “There are companies on this list that have been supporting HBCUs every one of those years, so we wanted to do something special and provide an All-Time list. The ranking gives these companies an opportunity to show how committed they are to supporting the future of engineering at HBCUs,” he said. “There is a critical need to increase


the number of students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in the United States,“ said Ms. Nelson. “The U.S. population demographics are becoming more diverse. In order to increase the pipeline, we must increase the number of underrepresented minorities pursuing and successfully completing a degree in STEM. “More and more, businesses are looking for opportunities that will give them an edge over the competition. They see both majority and minority universities as potential ecosystems,” said Dr. McCrary, who leads innovative research at Morgan State University.


www.blackengineer.com


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