More than just a check and a handshake

Minority Engineering celebrates scholarship partnership between NSBE, Cummins Inc. 

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — One of the biggest worries facing students who pursue a university degree is about how to pay for their education.

The Purdue University Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers will work to help quell those concerns as one of only two institutions selected to participate in an external scholarship program funded by a partnership between the Cummins Integrated Pipeline Program and National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) world headquarters.

The Minority Engineering Program at Purdue serves as advisors to the Purdue NSBE chapter.

“According to recent studies, black students graduate from college with higher debt than others,” said Darryl Dickerson, associate director of Purdue University’s Minority Engineering Program.

“What they face is ‘How do I pay for this? How do I make sure I can make it all the way through? And that becomes a stress on students that really can detract from their ability to be able to put their full effort into academics.”

Dickerson said the five-year, $1.5 million scholarship program is intended to provide a “holistic experience” for members of the Purdue chapter of the NSBE by giving them more than just a check and a handshake.

As part of the program, selected students will receive scholarship funding as well as a summer internship with Cummins, , a global technology company with products that range from diesel and natural gas engines to hybrid and electric platforms, as well as related technologies, and electrical power generation systems.

Opportunities for skill development during the year also will be provided by the company.

“They’ll provide webinars, leadership development, mentoring and coaching to assist students in making a smooth transition from college to the corporate environment,” Dickerson said. “Throughout the year, Cummins will work with the Purdue NSBE chapter to support the NSBE mission which includes academic excellence, professional success and positive community impact.”

In its first year, five NSBE Purdue chapter members in their sophomore year of studies will be selected from the pool of applicants who meet acceptance criteria. NSBE chapters at Purdue and Howard University were selected for this program launch.

Virginia Booth Womack, director of the Minority Engineering Program and NSBE chapter advisor, said the NSBE/Cummins initiative fits with the society’s national goal of supporting the graduation of 10,000 black engineers annually by 2025.

The society was founded at Purdue in 1975 and now has a global presence with collegiate student chapters, pre-college programs and professional chapters that engage more than 20,000 members.

“We appreciate the national focus on college affordability and the generosity of Cummins Inc. to provide external scholarships through NSBE,” she said. “Funding college is a big deal across ethnicity and gender. We are seeing some positive trends in student success through philanthropic initiatives like the Cummins Integrated Pipeline Program. I’d like to see more students get these opportunities.” 

Writer: Brian Huchel, 765-494-2084, bhuchel@purdue.edu 

Sources: Darryl Dickerson, 765-494-3974, ddickerson@purdue.edu

Virginia Booth Womack, 765-494-3974, vboothgl@purdue.edu