News Release

Boston University STEM outreach program gains major boost from AT&T

$145,000 contribution focuses on improving high school graduation rates

Grant and Award Announcement

Boston University

Boston - Boston University College of Engineering announced today the receipt of a $145,000 contribution from AT&T to create a two-year engineering and technology program for an urban high school population, and to document its impact on high school graduation rates.

The funding from AT&T will enable undergraduate Inspiration Ambassadors from the College's Technology Innovation Scholars Program (TISP) to deliver classroom and after-school engineering activities at the Josiah Quincy Upper School (JQUS) in Boston beginning in September¬.

Dr. Gretchen Fougere, Associate Dean of Outreach and Diversity for the College of Engineering, noted, "This contribution validates the extraordinary vision driven by the College and likely impact of TISP. It will provide the resources to apply formal methods to measure our program's success and to advance its national impact."

Fougere, who leads TISP and the technology and engineering outreach programs for the College of Engineering, noted, "We are creating a diverse pipeline of secondary students who are motivated to graduate from high school because of their raised appreciation and understanding of STEM and engineering," explained Fougere. "This contribution will enable us to provide all the benefits of TISP engineering outreach: fun design activities, after-school robotics, and summer enrichment and scholarships and deliver our relatable role-models to a partner high school in Boston. We continue to engage students of all backgrounds and abilities and both inspire and prepare them for post-secondary success."

AT&T's support is a part of AT&T Aspire, the company's signature education initiative focused on high school success and career readiness. With an unwavering commitment to data-driven education outcomes, AT&T Aspire has impacted more than 1 million students since its launch in 2008.

"We're committed to investing in efforts that prepare the next generation of Americans for success in the increasingly competitive global economy, and the mentorship provided by Boston University's Technology Innovation Scholars Program is a perfect example of the enrichment that our local urban students need and deserve," said Patricia Jacobs, President, AT&T New England. "We applaud BU and TISP for their passion for the issue and their proven track record of readying local students for success in college and in their careers. We're particularly excited that Josiah Quincy students will have the chance to explore telecommunications projects with their BU mentors."

The AT&T contribution will help measure the impact of this deep dive of TISP in one high school. A cohort of 9th grade students at JQUS will benefit from the program through 10th grade. JQUS students are a diverse and underserved population representative of many urban public schools where improving high school graduation rates and proficiency with math and science are concerns. Richard Chang, co-headmaster at Josiah Quincy Upper School, "We are very excited to welcome Boston University's Inspiration Ambassadors into our classrooms to make mathematics, science and engineering concepts come to life for our students. Engaging students in these real-world projects with college students of similar backgrounds will be significant motivators for them to focus on mathematics and science coursework and to attend college."

TISP's mission is to inspire and prepare a diverse workforce for 21st century technology-related fields. Each year, the program professionally trains and manages 50 select BU undergraduate engineers as "Inspiration Ambassadors," who share their passion for and understanding of technology and engineering design with youth nationwide.

The BU Inspiration Ambassadors visit middle and high school classrooms to provide information and experiences that demonstrate how engineers improve our quality of life and solve the problems that resonate with younger students. In Boston, the Ambassadors guide students in the engineering design process as teams innovate to create technologies associated with communications, energy, the environment and healthcare. In Boston area schools, for example, these design challenges relate to cellphone towers, wind turbines, fuel cells, robotics and coding and app development. The technologies and engineering are derived from cutting-edge engineering research at BU and corporate supporters like AT&T.

The Inspiration Ambassadors, select undergraduate engineers majoring in biomedical, mechanical, electrical, or computer engineering, also mentor many after-school FIRST ® robotics teams, creating competitive robots in a short design cycle. The College has a rich partnership with FIRST®, with Dean Kamen and John Abele on the Dean's Leadership Advisory Board, and scholarships and TISP available for FIRST ® participants.

Validation and Impact Research:

Since its launch in 2011, the Inspiration Ambassadors have reached over 13,200 young people in 26 states and six countries. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the program has had a direct and favorable impact on underprivileged youth, influencing many to seek out STEM coursework in high school, to graduate from high school, and even to pursue and secure university placements and scholarships. Five have received full scholarships for study at BU's College of Engineering or other schools. Several of the former high school students reached and mentored are now Ambassadors themselves.

The AT&T contribution will enable the program to empirically measure and document that impact, while also providing a test case for running the program on an intensive basis with a dedicated cohort of students over two years.

Boston University College of Engineering aims to create Societal Engineers who will use their engineering skills to enhance our quality of life and improve society. The College offers bachelor's degrees in several engineering disciplines, as well as master's and doctoral degrees for those pursuing careers in industry or research. Acclaimed faculty pursue innovation aimed at meeting the engineering challenges of the coming decades, and engage students with an interdisciplinary approach to engineering education that looks outward to engage other professions and bring innovations to society's use.

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About Philanthropy and Social Innovation at AT&T:

AT&T Inc. is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its community initiatives, AT&T has a long history of investing in projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; or address community needs. In 2013, more than $130 million was contributed or directed through corporate-, employee-, social investment- and AT&T Foundation-giving programs. AT&T Aspire is AT&T's signature education initiative that drives innovation in education by bringing diverse resources to bear on the issue including funding, technology, employee volunteerism, and mentoring.


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