After a challenging year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME) hosted its 47th Anniversary Scholarship Fundraising Gala on Thursday, Dec. 2, and chose Texas A&M University as one of six host sites. The nonprofit organization set a goal of raising $1 million in just one night to support scholarships for underrepresented minority students.
Traditionally held as an exclusive, private, black-tie event, the coordination team wanted to create an avenue for a more accessible event that put donors with student recipients at localized watch-party events for the 2021 affair. At each local event, the attendees were tuned into a live-streamed, in-person main event while being free to converse and network with donor company representatives. These on-campus "watch parties" hosted students, faculty, members of NACME and representatives of corporate sponsors. As a result, their message of inclusiveness encapsulated the entire event.
"These types of programs are so important for students because, number one, it gives them exposure and access that they may have not otherwise known about," said Crystal Lassiter, UPS (United Parcel Service) vice president of buildings and systems engineering. "With NACME, in particular, you have more companies that support the students, so it is a great opportunity to get introduced to you know, the UPSs, the H.P.s (Hewlett-Packard) and Bechtels of the world, and to get an opportunity to start up your corporate career."
NACME is the largest provider of college scholarships for underrepresented minorities pursuing degrees at engineering schools.
"What we're hoping to do is to continue raising funds for the scholarships of which our universities are a proud partner," said Kevin G. Smith, NACME's director of programs.
Their partners also emphasize enabling students to be an integral part of their workforce.
"It was important for us to really have something in place as a partnership to make sure that we were actually going to support underrepresented students in STEM," said Kevin Edwards, chief diversity officer at Bechtel Corporation. "We're actually going to set ourselves up for the standpoint of talent long term and it’s our way of giving back."
The gala is an opportunity for students to network with members of the industry they want to pursue and seek opportunities. Through this experience, students can learn how to promote themselves and really establish what will make them stand out to employers.
"My story had a good start for success when I started asking questions," senior chemical engineering student Jose Pena said. "The power of asking leads you somewhere. Always ask for opportunities, always ask for more. The worst thing to happen is no, but the best, you'll never know."
After he graduates, Pena is set to work for Exxon Mobil's Gulf Coast growth venture. Participating in local research opportunities and internships, Pena was able to network with professionals and stay connected.
"It's really important for students to just stay connected to employers in industries that they're interested in," said Tiffany Washington, talent acquisition in matching early careers manager for the bp Americas region. "I always tell the students to continue coming back, continue engaging with that company that you're interested in."
The exposure this event provided students also enables them to go out into the workforce with endless possibilities.
"It's truly our vision of being able to create a workforce that looks very much like America, the new engineering workforce," Smith said.