Chevron donates $5M for programs to help attract engineers to Texas A&M

[TexasTowelie]

Texas A&M University's goal of attracting 25,000 students to the Dwight Look College of Engineering in the next 10 years received a $5 million boost from a longtime corporate partner.

School officials traversed the state Thursday to announce the formation of the Texas A&M-Chevron Engineering Academies at four Texas community colleges. Engineering Dean Kathy Banks said the program, which will co-enroll students at Houston Community College in Houston, Texas Southmost College in Brownsville, Alamo Colleges in San Antonio and El Centro College in Dallas into A&M engineering classes, will help meet the state's growing demand for engineers. She expects the academies to be a boon for the college's 25 by 25 initiative by enrolling students who could not make it to College Station because of their location in the state or their financial situation.

"We pledged to get the best and brightest students, so that means providing different pathways," Banks said. "Those students should have the same opportunities for a Texas A&M engineering degree. This should allow us to get all students in all circumstances and situations."

Qualified students in one of the four academies will take general credit classes at their community college's tuition rate and take engineering classes taught by Texas A&M professors at Texas A&M's tuition rates, A&M Provost Karan Watson said. Once the student's two-year degree is completed, they will transfer to Texas A&M and complete their engineering degrees in College Station.

Read more: http://www.theeagle.com/news/local/chevron-donates-m-for-programs-to-help-attract-engineers-to/article_9f1edfac-be98-5bcc-8a5d-76b5324b1f6c.html

[ananda]

1. Boy that money is dirty.

I wonder what the actual intended outcome is.

[okasha]

2. I remember when nobody but

prospective military officers and engineers went to A&M. Must be a shortage in the field.