Lockheed Martin has made an investment in the future, with a $75,000 corporate gift to Jackson State University in Jackson, Miss. The grant supports a four-summer, six-week academy devoted to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The funding helps students in grades 6 through 8 in Jackson Public Schools enroll in the Lockheed Martin STEM Academy at JSU for a summer training program, now in its third summer.
According to JSU’s 2016 fall enrollment, the College of Science, Engineering, and Technology is the school’s largest. “The $75,000 investment will positively impact our STEM Leader Early Identification Program and the continuation of our ongoing work with the Lockheed Martin STEM Academy,” said its dean, Dr. Richard A. Aló.
The summer program is designed to prepare young students for college-level STEM courses. It covers a wide range of subjects, including math, physics, English, computer science, and an introduction to engineering, in the hopes of cultivating interest in STEM enough to pursue careers in engineering.
Scott W. Trapp, director of Lockheed’s Diversity Outreach, Global Diversity and Inclusion efforts, said the company is especially pleased with the arrangement with JSU and how it is preparing young students for the future: “We take pride in supporting our university partners—as we know it’s an integral part in educating a generation that will change our universe forever.”
