NYU-Poly students receive NACME and National Grid Foundation grant

The National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, Inc. (NACME) recently awarded engineering scholarships to 4 Polytechnic Institute of NYU students through a $10,000 grant from the National Grid Foundation. The scholarship program’s goal is to help support underrepresented minority students as they earn engineering degrees.

Scholarships were awarded to the following students:

• Carlos Bautista, a graduating senior majoring in computer engineering. He has accepted a position at L3 Communications.
• Kevin Bishop, a sophomore majoring in electrical engineering and currently interviewing for summer internships.
• Juan Borja, a graduating senior. The Colombian native will begin a doctoral program in chemical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
• Kevin Davis, a junior majoring in electrical engineering. He is interested in research and considering summer intern opportunities.

To celebrate the students’ achievements, NACME and NYU-Poly, along with representatives from the National Grid Foundation, recently held a reception.  Attendees included Robert Keller, Executive Director, National Grid Foundation; Kurt Becker, Associate Vice Provost, Research and Technology Initiatives at Polytechnic; Beverly Johnson, Associate Dean, Undergraduate Admissions and Executive Director, Center for Youth in Engineering and Science (YES) at Polytechnic; John Lubbe, Vice President, Institutional Advancement, NACME; and Cathy Levy, Senior Director, Institutional Advancement, NACME.

Robert Keller, Executive Director of the National Grid Foundation, challenged the 4 students to become leaders in their fields and help regain the ground the U.S. has lost in engineering and technology.

Mr. Keller remarked: “Over the past 10 years, the National Grid Foundation has worked to create opportunities for solutions to education and environmental issues. By supporting NACME Scholars, the Foundation is helping to address what NACME calls ‘the new’ American dilemma: the relative absence of underrepresented minorities in careers related to science and engineering.”

Mr. Lubbe agreed. “Our nation is facing a quiet crisis,” he said, referring to a speech by Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, on looming gaps in the science, technology, and engineering workforce and reduced support for basic research.

“This is an opportune time to mobilize the hidden talent pool of underrepresented minorities,” said Mr. Lubbe. “NACME is standing shoulder-to-shoulder with National Grid Foundation and Polytechnic in responding to this crisis with aggressive action and support of underrepresented students of engineering.”

Beverly Johnson, who serves as the liaison for NACME Scholars at NYU-Poly, and plays a critical role in their success, gave high praise to the students.

“I am so very proud of the accomplishments of the four NACME Scholars, and I know that great things are in store for them all,” said Ms. Johnson. “Each of these young men are hard working individuals from modest means and understand that to whom much is given, much is required.”

The students were especially thankful and motivated to “keep going above and beyond” their own expectations.

“I feel that it is important to represent a different aspect of life for [minority students] coming after me, so they don’t think that the opportunities are limited,” said Kevin Bishop. “Outside of professions like sports and music, we can go into careers that will revolutionize the world.”

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