The
National Action Council for Minorities
in Engineering (NACME) aims to increase the representation of
African Americans, Latinos and American Indians in the nations
engineering workforce. A not-for-profit corporation with a commitment
to excellence in education, NACME's mission embraces the fact that
technical work force strength will determine world leadership into
the new century, that the nation's economic productivity rests on
the quality of the scientists and engineers we produce, and that
our success depends on our ability to utilize human resources from
all segments of our population.
NACME conducts research and public policy analysis, develops and
operates precollege and university programs and disseminates information
nationally through broadcasts, conferences, publications and the
World Wide Web. Scholarship programs provide comprehensive student
support, including intense academic preparation, financial aid,
mentoring, professional development and internships. The goal is
to effectively expand access to engineering career and also ensure
the successful preparation of the students for the engineering profession.
Highly leveraged partnerships with industry, government and the
academic community, yield significant return on the investment made
by donors.
One current initiative of NACME is the Math is Power campaign. Math
Is Power is a national public service advertising campaign developed
by NACME in collaboration with the Advertising Council to provide
information to parents and students about the importance of advanced
mathematics courses in high school. The knowledge base of algebra,
geometry, trigonometry, precalculus or the equivalent in integrated
curricula are crucial gatekeepers for access to a broad range of
careers, including engineering, the natural sciences, accounting,
investment banking and many others. Students who opt out of academic
mathematics as early as eighth grade, essentially forego any future
opportunity to pursue a career in such fields. The campaign is made
possible by support from: IBM Corporation, the National Science
Foundation, Annenberg/CPB Math and Science Project, the Advertising
Council and Bozell Worldwide, Minneapolis.
NACME's successful work has received wide recognition. One of six
institutions in 1996 to share the first Presidential Award for Excellence
in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring, NACME has recently
been named recipient of the U.S. Department of Labor's 1998 EPIC
(Exemplary Public Interest Contribution) Award.
For additional information about NACME, visit www.nacme.org
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