 |
WASHINGTON – At the
Washington Auto
Show today, the
General Motors
Foundation and
the Partners for
the Advancement
of Collaborative
Engineering Educations
(PACE) made a
combined grant
donation to Howard
University in
the amount of
$88,700.
The presentation,
made by GM Vice
President of Global
Design and GM
Foundation Board
member Ed Welburn,
is part of the
longstanding partnership
with Howard University
and the foundation’s
dedication to
education initiatives
in communities
across the country. |
“For more
than 30 years
we’ve provided
ongoing support
to Howard University
as a key institution
in developing
world-class engineering,
manufacturing,
design and business
talent,”
said Welburn.
“There is
a critical need
for these types
of skill sets
across the industry
right now as automotive
companies re-tool
to meet the demands
of more technologically-advanced
vehicles. The
GM Foundation
and PACE grants
are designed to
help young people
gain the knowledge
they will need
to meet these
challenges.”
Along with the
foundation’s
financial funding
of $70,000, PACE,
the corporate
alliance between
GM, Autodesk,
Hewlett-Packard,
Siemens PLM Software
and Sun Microsystems,
provided $17,700
worth of in-kind
donations of computer-based
hardware, software
and other tooling
equipment.
"Howard's enduring partnership with GM and PACE is a model of what together we achieve by recognizing the importance of imprinting academia with unique perspectives, inputs and opportunities from industry,” said James Mitchell, Ph.D., dean of the Howard University College of Engineering, Architecture, and Computer Sciences. “Together we are producing highly trained graduates in both theory and practice. This synergy is essential for educating the STEM human talent pools required for US competitiveness.”
The grant will
also support the
continuation of
the Corporate
Team Adoption
Program, in which
GM engineers,
designers and
representatives
from other areas
of the company
mentor and guide
student teams
with special projects,
jobsite tours
and identify professional
opportunities.
Welburn, a Howard
University alum,
was hired as a
GM associate designer
in 1972 upon graduation.
“I knew
at the age of
eight when I toured
the Philadelphia
Auto Show and
first saw the
Cadillac Cyclone
concept that I
wanted to be a
car designer,”
said Welburn.
“The educational
and life-experiences
I gained at Howard
allowed me to
quickly become
a contributing
member of GM’s
design team and
eventually become
the sixth Vice
President of Global
Design in GM’s
102-year history.
The GM Foundation
is committed to
continuing the
legacy of developing
our next generation
of leaders.”
About
Howard University:
Howard University
is a private,
research university
that is comprised
of 12 schools
and colleges.
Founded in 1867,
students pursue
studies in more
than 120 areas
leading to undergraduate,
graduate and professional
degrees. Since
1998, the University
has produced two
Rhodes Scholars,
two Truman Scholars,
a Marshall Scholar,
21 Fulbright Scholars
and 11 Pickering
Fellows. Howard
also produces
more on campus
African-American
Ph.D. recipients
than any other
university in
the United States.
For more information
on Howard University,
call 202-238-2330,
or visit the University’s
Web site at www.howard.edu
About
the GM Foundation:
Since its inception
in 1976, the GM
Foundation has
donated hundreds
of millions of
dollars to deserving
American charities,
educational organizations
and to disaster
relief efforts
worldwide. The
GM Foundation
focuses on supporting
Education, Health
and Human Services,
Environment and
Energy and Community
Development initiatives,
mainly in the
communities where
GM operates. For
more information,
visit www.gm.com/corporate/responsibility/community.
About
PACE:
Since
1999, The Partners
for the Advancement
of Collaborative
Engineering Education
(PACE) has linked
GM, Autodesk,
Hewlett-Packard,
Siemens PLM Software
and Sun Microsystems
to support strategically-selected
academic institutions
worldwide, to
develop the automotive
product lifecyle
management team
of the future.
For more information
about PACE , visit www.pacepartners.org
|
