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AMIE, the organization also known as Advancing Minorities’ Interest in Engineering, is marking its 25th anniversary.
Since the group started operating after an initiative by a pharmaceutical company in 1992, the partnership has grown into a coalition of industry and government agencies, and the ABET-accredited historically black college and university (HBCU) Schools of Engineering.
ABET, incorporated as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc., accredits education programs in applied and natural science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology.
"As the Executive Director of AMIE, one of my goals is to position the organization as a conduit through which agencies, universities and corporations can make an impact on the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) pipeline through strategic partnerships," said Veronica Nelson. "Giving HBCUs more exposure will increase their access to funding, scholarships, summer bridge programs, contracts, research, curriculum development, etc."
AMIE's college and university partners include all of the HBCUs in the nation that have ABET-accredited Schools of Engineering. Combined, these 15 schools represent 4 percent of the nation's accredited engineering schools but are responsible for graduating more than 30 percent of all blacks with a bachelor's degree in engineering.
AMIE academic partners in the Council of Engineering Deans of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities are:
- Alabama A&M University
- Florida A&M University
- Hampton University
- Howard University
- Jackson State University
- Morgan State University
- Norfolk State University
- North Carolina A&T State University
- Prairie View A&M University
- Southern University and A&M College
- Tennessee State University
- Tuskegee University
- University of the District of Columbia
- University of Maryland Eastern Shore
- Virginia State University
For two decades, AMIE has forged partnerships to advance interest in engineering, facilitated the recruitment of minority students as coops, interns, and graduates at member organizations, created an avenue for members to exchange best practices for the development of a diversified engineering workforce, and enabled the creation of engineering research and technology transfer agreements.
To mark the milestone achievements, AMIE's 25th-anniversary conference kicks off Wednesday, Sept. 5th at the Westin Huntsville and Alabama A&M University.
The event will bring together the Council of Engineering Deans of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities, professionals, corporations and government agencies to develop strategies that increase diversity in the engineering workforce.
Click here to view more on AMIE's work over a quarter of a century.