With donation, program surpasses 25th anniversary goal of $250K
CINCINNATI – May 12, 2014 – Duke Energy has donated $50,000 to the Emerging Ethnic Engineers (E3) Program, which is designed to enhance the recruitment, retention and graduation of underrepresented ethnic students in University of Cincinnati’s College of Engineering & Applied Sciences (CEAS).
The funds will be used to benefit UC freshmen in E3’s Summer Bridge Scholars Program, a seven-week program for incoming engineering students that emphasizes collaborative learning in key courses including biology, physics, pre-calculus, calculus, chemistry and English. The rigorous program also includes tours of Cincinnati companies including Duke Energy.
“The E3 program has been incredibly successful in improving the cultural and ethnic diversity in UC’s College of Engineering,” said Rod Grabowski, UC Foundation president. “Corporate grants are instrumental in ensuring its continued success – we are fortunate to have the generous support of Duke Energy.”
The company’s $50,000 commitment helped E3 reach its 25th anniversary goal of $250,000.
“Duke Energy has a long-standing partnership with the University of Cincinnati,” said Casey Ruschman, Foundation and Community Affairs, with Duke Energy. “Whether it is working together through our co-op program to help address the needs of our future workforce or combining resources to help address key issues facing our industry, Duke Energy has a partner in UC. This grant is just another example of that strong partnership.”
The E3 program is the first diversity program in the history of UC’s CEAS and has led to the college’s overall graduation rate of ethnic engineering students that is 20 percent higher than the national average. The school also ranks among the top 50 institutions nationwide for its number of African American baccalaureate engineering graduates.
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About Duke Energy
Duke Energy is the largest electric power holding company in the United States with approximately $115 billion in total assets. Its regulated utility operations serve approximately 7.2 million electric customers located in six states in the Southeast and Midwest. Its commercial power and international energy business segments own and operate diverse power generation assets in North America and Latin America, including a growing portfolio of renewable energy assets in the United States.
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 250 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at: www.duke-energy.com.
About the University of Cincinnati Foundation
Established in 1975, the University of Cincinnati Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation and is the private sector fundraising entity for the University of Cincinnati. The Foundation supports UC’s aspirations through philanthropic collaboration with the colleges, the Academic Health Center and other units to maximize private support. The Foundation’s advancement efforts promote the development of productive, enduring relationships with alumni, friends, colleagues, students, foundations, corporations and the Greater Cincinnati community. For more information, visit uc.edu/foundation.