UC, GE Aerospace Foundation celebrate Next Engineers grads

Forty-three students from the program's second academy cohort celebrated their graduation alongside family, friends and GE Aerospace and Next Engineers leaders at UC's Nippert Stadium. UC is the educational partner for the local Next Engineers program the GE Aerospace Foundation launched in 2021.

Program graduate Phurin Lehman, a senior at Lakota West High School, plans to study construction management this fall at UC’s College of Engineering and Applied Science. He said the best part of Next Engineers was becoming friends with other students he got to know while collaborating on engineering projects and activities.

“We’ve been together now for three years. So I was able to see their experience and share mine. We’re like family now,” he said.

“The GE Aerospace Foundation is immensely proud of these talented students as they take the next step in their educational journey,” GE Aerospace Foundation President Meghan Thurlow said. “The hands-on experience and confidence they gained through the Next Engineers program will serve them well as they start college next fall, and we look forward to everything they will accomplish in years to come.”

Students who complete the Engineering Academy program and enroll in a qualified engineering or engineering-related degree program receive scholarships to support their education toward becoming engineers. To date, the Next Engineers program has reached more than 23,000 students globally and has awarded nearly $2 million in scholarships to qualifying graduates.

“These graduates are perfect examples of the dedication and potential of our youth in Cincinnati,” said Whitney Gaskins, associate dean of professional development and community impact at UC's College of Engineering and Applied Science. “The University of Cincinnati is thrilled that many are continuing their engineering education here and are proud of everything they have accomplished.”

When it comes to engineering role models, Clark Montessori High School student Caleb Turner II didn’t have to look far. His mom, Alexandria Merriweather-Turner, studied engineering and introduced him to science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, at an early age.

When he was a child, she enrolled him in a K-12 program that UC’s Gaskins created called Cincinnati STEMulates that provides lessons and activities in summer camps and classes. 

Merriweather-Turner said Next Engineers helps students adopt an engineering mindset. Students work on group projects together, much like they do in engineering workplaces, she said.

“It definitely gives him an advantage, having an opportunity to be collaborative with other students. They figure out each person’s role on the project. Who is the manager? Who is the innovator? And when they finish their project they present it together.”

Turner has applied to several colleges to study architectural engineering. He said his mom’s example inspired him to pursue engineering.

“She was always being proactive about things and finding solutions to problems and not overcomplicating things,” he said.

The Next Engineers: Engineering Academy is designed for students ages 15 to 18. Through a rigorous curriculum, immersive design challenges and career coaching, students learn to think and act like engineers. The program is supported by local educational partners like UC that equip participants with the skills needed to build an engineering identity and pursue successful careers in engineering fields.

In 2024, the GE Aerospace Foundation committed $20 million through 2030 to expand Next Engineers, including extending UC's program through 2028. This commitment will help bridge the gap for students in middle school to college who are interested in engineering careers. 

The Next Engineers program serves students in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Greenville, South Carolina, in the United States along with Johannesburg, South Africa; Staffordshire, U.K.; Warsaw, Poland and recently announced sites in Niskayuna, New York, and Bengaluru, India.

Featured image at top: UC and the GE Aerospace Foundation celebrated the second graduation of the GE Next Engineers program. Photo/GE Aerospace Foundation