North Carolina A&T State University News September 4, 2019 N.C. A&T HOME Program Receives $80,000 Award from Duke Energy Foundation Thanks to a new grant from Duke Energy, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is helping new students get acclimated to campus through the Helping Orient Minorities to Engineering (HOME) program. Participants arrive during the summer to complete their first calculus class for college credit and attend professional development opportunities throughout the program. Students are also encouraged to connect with mentors consistently. Dominiqueca Edwards, an electrical engineering graduate student at N.C. A&T, said the program shaped and sharpened her throughout her undergraduate studies and put her on track to graduate school. "My mentor discussed the benefits of pursuing a master's degree with me, he allowed me to tour his laboratory where he conducted research, and he motivated me to keep pursuing my dreams," Edwards said. "The HOME program is truly a community of like-minded people and is one of the main reasons I am where I am today." "We're building leaders and strong thinkers, who consider how they can best assist others personally and professionally," said Ava Dickens, student services coordinator and HOME program coordinator. Markus Bryant, a sophomore studying civil engineering, expressed his appreciation for the program. "Although I was independent and not as apprehensive about being on a college campus, HOME really helped me hone in on social cues and encouraged me to better understand and engage any audience," said Bryant. Students like Edwards and Bryant often receive awards and secure a number of internships and other professional opportunities prior to graduating from their bachelor's programs. Edwards plans to graduate in May 2020, and Bryant will spend the spring 2020 semester with Marathon Petroleum for his cooperative educational experience. Founded in 2005, HOME is a selective five-week bridge summer program with a mission to recruit and retain high achieving high school students in engineering and computer science prior to joining the campus community. Each year, the program invites approximately 20 students to apply and interview based on a minimum high school GPA of 3.3 and an 1100 SAT or the equivalent ACT score. The program is supported by corporate sponsors, including Duke Energy Foundation, whose funding investments go toward covering the full cost for summer tuition and fees, room and board and required textbooks. SANDRA M. PHOENIX HBCU Library Alliance Executive Director Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library 111 James P. Brawley Drive SW Atlanta GA 30314 404-978-2118 (office) 404-702-5854 (cell) http://www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> Honor the ancestors, honor the children and those yet to come. Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/ and Twitter at https://twitter.com/HBCULibAlliance Check out "PULSE!" The HBCU Library Alliance's News Source! - https://hbculibraryalliance.wordpress.com/