"The support from Boeing is more than a gift," said Harry L. Williams, Ph.D., TMCF president and CEO. "It is the manifestation of a long-term strategic partnership that will change the trajectory of so many innovative, intelligent and deserving students."
To date, TMCF has awarded more than $300 million in assistance to historically Black colleges and universities. In addition to scholarships, TMCF provides programmatic, capacity building, public policy and advocacy support for its 47 member-schools and the nearly 300,000 students that attend them.
"This investment is another example of how we are building a diverse pipeline of future talent," said Michael Ford, Boeing vice president of Global Diversity and Inclusion. "Through scholarships, internships, on-campus engagements and immersive opportunities at Boeing, we hope to inspire and enable HBCU students to pursue careers in the aerospace industry."
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of aerospace engineers is projected to grow six percent from 2016 to 2026, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Aircraft are being redesigned to cause less noise pollution and have better fuel efficiency, which will help sustain demand for research and development. Thus, the need to cultivate a diverse pipeline of talent, Boeing turned to TMCF, the nation's largest organization exclusively representing the Black college community.
“We are grateful to Boeing for the opportunities afforded to our students and for the recognition that our Atlanta University Center institutions are well-equipped to produce and deliver the highly talented and skilled technical workforce cutting-edge employers like Boeing demand,” stated Todd Greene, executive director of the Atlanta University Center Consortium.
The investment will fund scholarships, internships, on-campus engagements and immersive "boot camp" programs that will introduce students to Boeing's culture and career paths. Students from other HBCUs can also take advantage of the investment through TMCF's award-winning Leadership Institute.
Boeing’s investment builds on its ongoing commitment to HBCUs, including South Carolina State University, Southern University, Prairie View A&M University, Florida A&M University and Tennessee State University.
About Atlanta University Center Consortium Inc.
Founded in 1929, the AUC Consortium is the world’s oldest and largest contiguous association of historically black colleges and universities in the world. Comprised of its four member institutions — Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine and Spelman College — AUC Consortium represents an intellectual community with a storied tradition of rich culture, scholarship, service and community engagement. Led by its board of directors, the Council of Presidents, the Consortium is a nonprofit organization that operates on behalf of its members to advance each institution’s mission and strategic goals, and seeks to foster collaboration that leverages shared resources of the community and member institutions to maximize opportunities for our students and the community.
About Spelman College
Founded in 1881, Spelman College is a leading liberal arts college widely recognized as the global leader in the education of women of African descent. Located in Atlanta, the College’s picturesque campus is home to 2,100 students. Spelman is the country's leading producer of Black women who complete Ph.D.s in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The College’s status is confirmed by U.S. News and World Report, which ranked Spelman No. 61 among all liberal arts colleges and No. 1 among historically Black colleges and universities. The Wall Street Journal ranked the College No. 3, nationally, in terms of student satisfaction. Outstanding alumnae include Children’s Defense Fund Founder Marian Wright Edelman, Starbucks Group President and COO Rosalind Brewer, former Acting Surgeon General and Spelman’s first alumna President Audrey Forbes Manley, global bioinformatics geneticist Janina Jeff and author Pearl Cleage. For more information, visit www.spelman.edu.