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Durham, N.C. – Duke
Energy Foundation has
awarded North
Carolina Central University (NCCU)
$135,000 to support a Three-Plus-Two Bachelor of Science
Dual Degree program in physics
and electrical engineering in
partnership with North
Carolina State University (NC
State).
Established in June 2015, the dual-degree program aims to
increase access, diversity and enrollment in the science,
technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines at both
NCCU and NC State.
The funding from Duke Energy Foundation is part of the
organization’s support of workforce development and economic
development initiatives. The students, known as Duke Energy
Scholars, will be educated and trained in the field of
engineering, particularly electrical engineering, and will
be job-ready upon graduation. The program will help prepare
more individuals of color and women for the electrical
engineering field, which is one of the fastest growing job
sectors in the United States.
“We are proud to support this collaboration between North
Carolina Central University and N.C. State University that
encourages diversity in engineering,” said Indira Everett,
Duke Energy’s district manager. “This program demonstrates
their commitment to equipping more student with the skills
needed to compete in an emerging sector of our economy.”
“North Carolina Central University is grateful to Duke
Energy Foundation for its generosity in providing resources
that will assist our students who desire to pursue careers
in the STEM field,” said Harriet Frink Davis, Ph.D., vice
chancellor for Institutional Advancement. “This new
initiative and partnership with Duke Energy will continue
building the educational foundation for our
‘techno-scholars,’ whom Chancellor Dr. Debra Saunders-White
has invested in over the past three years.”
The Three-Plus-Two Dual Degree program has a pipeline of
NCCU students now being advised and tracked into the
electrical engineering program at NC State. The electrical
engineering specialization equips students with skills to
design, produce, test and supervise electrical equipment for
companies in the Research Triangle Park, throughout North
Carolina and around the county.
“Duke Energy Foundation’s ongoing commitment and increased
investment in the STEM disciplines will enable North
Carolina Central University to recruit, retain and graduate
talented students from underrepresented populations who are
highly marketable and skilled for the jobs of tomorrow,”
said Dr. Johnson O. Akinleye, Provost and Vice Chancellor
for Academic Affairs.
North Carolina Central University prepares students to
succeed in the global marketplace. Flagship programs include
the sciences, technology, nursing, education, law, business
and the arts. Founded in 1910 as a liberal arts college for
African-Americans, NCCU remains committed to diversity in
higher education. Our
alumni excel in a wide variety of academic and professional
fields. Visit www.nccu.edu.
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