Three N.C. A&T Student Organizations Receive Donation from Cree | Wolfspeed

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Nov. 18, 2020) – Three student organizations at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University have received a portion of $15,000 donated by Cree | Wolfspeed.

The A&T chapters of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Society for Women Engineers (SWE) and Women in Science and Technology (WIST) each received $5,000 during a campus visit by Cree CEO Gregg Lowe, Employee Communications Manager Pam Bullock and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Director Tamara Pearce.

Students Caiya Whiltshire of NSBE, Paige Michals of SWE and Mya Reid of WIST were on hand for the presentation, where they were joined by Chancellor Harold L. Martin Sr., Abdellah Ahmidouch, Ph.D., dean of the College of Science and Technology (COST), Robin Coger, dean of the College of Engineering (COE), and Ken Sigmon, vice chancellor for university advancement.

“Advancing our research mission, as well as community engagement and economic development, are key elements of our strategic plan ‘A&T Preeminence: Taking the Momentum to 2023,’” said Martin. “We are grateful to Cree for investing in our students in ways that will allow them to grow and excel academically and professionally with an emphasis on innovation.”

The Cree team’s visit concluded with tours of the GM Autodrive Lab, machine shop and Society of Automotive Engineers room in Cherry Hall, the Micro-Reactor Lab in Hines Hall and the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering in Gateway University Research Park.

In September, the Durham-based silicon carbide technology company announced it would contribute $4 million to the university over the next five years leading to the establishment of the Cree | Wolfspeed Endowed Scholars Program, which supports students within COE’s Helping Orient Minorities to Engineering (H.O.M.E.) Program and COST’s Inspiring Minds Program.

Through the scholarship, students also will have the opportunity to be considered for paid summer internships with Cree | Wolfspeed as well as full-time employment with the company after graduation.

“Our employees were incredibly excited when we made the decision to establish the scholarship opportunity with N.C. A&T,” said Lowe. “We continue to be amazed with the students’ work and are confident that whether or not they come to work for us or choose employment opportunities elsewhere that they will make an impact in the STEM fields.”

“The gifts to the Aggie NSBE, SWE and WIST chapters build upon our commitment to enriching academics in the communities where Cree serves and calls home,” said Pearce. “We are excited for what the future holds for the students as our partnership together continues for years to come.” These three student organizations were selected as engineering, science and technology are at the core of Cree’s products, which include silicon carbide materials, power-switching devices and RF devices targeted for applications such as electric vehicles, fast charging, inverters, power supplies, telecom, and military and aerospace.