GM Foundation donation powers Ohio State engineering students, programs

The General Motors Foundation has granted $92,000 to The Ohio State University College of Engineering to support diversity initiatives, career services and multidisciplinary capstone projects.

The contribution to the College of Engineering is part of a $130,000 GM Foundation University/Organization Partner Program grant to Ohio State. The funds will support several initiatives at Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business relating to diversity, logistics and operations, career services and sustainability education.

Ohio State’s graduate and undergraduate engineering programs are both ranked first in Ohio and 18th and 15th, respectively, among all public universities in the U.S. With more than 55,000 living engineering and architecture alumni worldwide, the College of Engineering features world-class, experiential learning programs within 11 departments.

“Working with leaders in education to strengthen curricula, foster a diverse learning environment and challenge young minds is a top priority for us,” said GM Foundation President Vivian Pickard. “By supporting higher education programs, we are ensuring that the next generation of leaders and innovators receive the necessary knowledge and skills to compete in a global marketplace.”

The GM Foundation grant will be shared among several key College of Engineering programs. The Center for Automotive Research will leverage the funding in efforts to prepare students from under-represented groups, especially women, for careers designing and building advanced vehicle technologies. The college's award-winning Women in Engineering program will expand access to a summer camp that introduces rising 12th grade students to careers in engineering.

The grant will allow the college's Minority Engineering Program to increase student participation in the National Society of Black Engineers, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, the American Indian Science and Engineering Society and Lambda Psi, specifically in committees focused on academic excellence. 

“Our partnership with the GM Foundation continues to grow in meaningful, impactful ways,” said College of Engineering Dean David B. Williams. “This grant directly impacts our ability to attract and train young people to become engineering innovators and leaders of the future.”

The GM Foundation’s support will make it possible for over 6,000 Buckeye engineering students seeking internships, co-ops and full time positions to have access to CareerEngine, the college’s online talent matching resource.

Industry-related capstone projects funded by the foundation will provide teams of engineering and business students the opportunity to apply their education and develop professional skills in real-world problem solving. Students are given the opportunity to contribute their area of expertise to a real product or solution while interfacing with GM liaisons.

As a long-time partner, the GM Foundation has supported Ohio State engineering students and outreach initiatives since 1979.