through participation in their mentoring program for computer science students. The University of Delaware (UD) also has three corporate relationships which work synergistically with UD’s Resources to Insure Successful Engineers (RISE) / AMP Program to the benefit of its students, and are expected to continue under the proposed project. Each academic year, funds are provided from Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. for UD’s RISE / AMP Program participants to receive tutorial services; study abroad funding, and upperclassmen scholarship awards. One to two paid internship positions to be filled by RISE/AMP Program participants each year are also offered. In-kind support from representatives who facilitate RISE/AMP Program workshop presentations, as well as financial support for the student organizations such as NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers) and SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) are also obtained. Most members in each of these minority professional organizations are also RISE/AMP Program participants. In addition, the RISE/AMP Program/Academic Advisement Office’s physical space was largely funded by support from Air Products. Through its partnership with JP Morgan Chase & Co., UD also receives various financial and in-kind support throughout the academic year. This partnership provides funding for the RISE/AMP Program banquet, the production of a student produced yearly newsletter, financial and in-kind support for various workshops and career development activities throughout the academic year, and financial support for the minority student organizations, mainly, NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers) and SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers). In addition, this partnership provides the opportunity for one to two RISE/AMP Program participants to fill internship positions each year. In addition, through UD’s partnership with Merck, financial support for the RISE/AMP Program participants for winter session course work and study abroad is obtained. One to two internships and one fellowship position are also offered and expected to be filled by RISE/AMP Program participants. Financial assistance for the minority professional student organizations, NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers) and SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) whose memberships, as aforementioned, are mostly RISE/AMP Program participants, is also provided. At University of Pennsylvania (UPenn), alumni, Dr. Jesse Johnson, and Dr. Laura Stubbs, in collaboration with the University’s Development Office, worked to establish an endowed “Gifts to Cora Ingrum Fund” in 2003. Ms. Cora Ingrum has served as UPenn AMP PI and Director, Multicultural Programs, School of Engineering and Applied Science since Philadelphia AMP’s inception in November 1994. UPenn AMP alumni who have transitioned to industry to such companies as Apple, Inc., General Electric Company, Integrated Systems Analysts, Inc. and Lockheed Martin Corporation continue to contribute to the fund to the present day through personal pledges and contributions. Other UPenn AMP alumni (for example, those employed by Merck Company Inc. and Lockheed Martin Corporation) are also helping to grow the fund through their corporate matching funding programs. Revenues from the “Gifts to Cora Ingrum Fund” at University of Pennsylvania will continue to be leveraged with AMP funds to expand the number of undergraduate summer research opportunities available to UPenn AMP students. Lastly, Philadelphia AMP alumni from across partner institutions who have transitioned to industry are also being used as speakers to share information about the expectations of industry to current AMP students at our annual Research Symposium and Mentoring Conference, Bridge to the Doctorate retreats, and other on-campus partner institution career awareness / professional development activities including events held by the student chapters of our minority professional organizations such as the NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers). In short, the Alliance has brought together stakeholders in the STEM mission who can influence students regarding their careers and a future that is very positive. We look forward to making the relationships with industry be a continued element of our programmatic offerings as we have in the past. The relationships between school districts, higher education, corporate partners and regional STEM initiatives have shaped an alliance that has strengthened the economic status of the tri-state region.
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