The program will give minority students up to $4,000 a year in scholarships so that they can graduate from AACC’s engineering program and transfer to a four year school where they can pursue their bachelor’s degree in that area of study.
Will Jobs Be Available For The New Graduates?
Who Is In Charge Of The Grant And What Do They Think It Will Do For The College?
Are Minorities Really Under Represented In The Engineering Field?
- According to the National Action Council For Minorities In Engineering only about 19% of the people who work in the engineering field are minorities.
- African-Americans are the least represented of the major minority groups. Only about 2% of all engineers are African-Americans.
What Do Students Think About The Grant?
- “This is very exciting, I feel like this gives black people [in the Md. area] a chance to be equal with everyone else.”- Current AACC student Robbie McFarland"
- " I feel like this could be a really helpful program [to people like me]. I think [the program is] really cool.” -African-American AACC student Chris Washington, who said he is considering majoring in some type of engineering.
Will Jobs Be Available For The New Graduates?- With the announcement of the Federal Base Realignment and Closure, the Baltimore-Washington, D.C.- area is expected to gain around 45,000 more federal and private sector jobs. With the new grant, AACC is positioned to help minorities get some of those jobs.
Who Is In Charge Of The Grant And What Do They Think It Will Do For The College?- AACC Professor Alycia Marshall is overseeing the program
- “We are all very excited. I hope it’s going to help people. AACC will be know as an institution that produces highly qualified engineers,” she says.
- Professor Marshall hopes that this program will help increase AACC’s national and local presence.
