University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Science | 2025 Dean's Report - Flipbook - Page 35
SPARKING INTEREST IN STEM FOR LOCAL HIGH
SCHOOLERS THROUGH NEXT ENGINEERS PROGRAM
I
n 2024, GE Aerospace Foundation announced an additional $20 million
investment in Next Engineers, a global college- and career-readiness
program working to increase the diversity of young people in engineering.
Through this program, students can gain an understanding of what
it’s like to study engineering in college and the impact they can make
working as an engineer — solving the big challenges of tomorrow.
A portion of this additional investment will benefit the Cincinnati location
of Next Engineers, extending the program through 2028. The University of
Cincinnati serves as the educational partner for local Cincinnati programming.
“Through the Next Engineers program, we are not just shaping young
minds, but empowering them to shape the future of engineering,” said
Whitney Gaskins, associate dean of UC’s College of Engineering and
Applied Science.
The Next Engineers: Engineering Academy, a three-year engineering education
program for high-schoolers, graduated its first cohort of students in the spring
of 2024, many of whom opted to enroll at UC. Students who complete the
program and go on to pursue an engineering degree at an institution of higher
education will receive a scholarship.
Nigel Adjei-Mensah, a Princeton High School senior, is one of 45 Cincinnati-area
students who completed the Engineering Academy, which engages students in
design challenges in small groups, career coaching, and college-readiness workshops
to equip them with the skills they need to build an engineering career.
“THE NEXT ENGINEERS SCHOLARSHIP I WILL RECEIVE FOR COMPLETING THE
In the fall of 2021, the GE Foundation established Next Engineers in
four cities around the world, including Cincinnati. The newly launched
GE Aerospace Foundation picked up the mantle to invest further in this
successful program.
The Next Engineers program offers three programs to engage students
and spark interest in engineering: Engineering Camp for students ages
14-15, Engineering Discovery for students ages 13-14, and Engineering
Academy for students ages 15-18. Thus far, more than 4,000 local
students have participated in the Cincinnati programs.
For more information, visit nextengineers.org.
PROGRAM WILL HELP FACILITATE MY PATH TO PURSUING A DEGREE IN
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING. THE IMMERSIVE DESIGN CHALLENGES THAT WE
GO THROUGH DURING ENGINEERING ACADEMY AND ALSO THE CAREER
COACHING THAT WE RECEIVE FROM GE AEROSPACE EMPLOYEES HAS OPENED
MY EYES TO A WHOLE NEW WORLD OF ENGINEERING.” – NIGEL ADJEI-MENSAH
UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI | CEAS
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