Three gifts totaling $67,000 will support Kettering University's Academically Interested Minorities (AIM) premier pre-college program and provide scholarships.

Dwight Tavada, director of Kettering's Office of Multicultural Student Initiatives, said the funding is an important investment in preparing tomorrow's leadership among minority engineers. "We are so proud of the participation of these three corporate and foundation neighbors," Tavada said.

The first contribution is $45,000 for scholarships for one year. It is from the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan, provided to the foundation by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

The second is from the UPS Foundation for $16,000, which will sponsor four students in the 2007 AIM summer program. It is part of a larger gift recently presented to Kettering President Stan Liberty.

The third is from the DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund for $6,000. The funds are allocated for sponsorship of two students in the 2007 AIM program. Recipients must have a minimum recomputed 3.0 grade point average. The support for AIM is part of a larger $24,000 gift from the DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund, which is a first-time donor to Kettering University. Along with $6,000 for the AIM program, funds will be utilized to provide scholarships for Kettering students consisting of five $3,000 scholarships and two $2,000 scholarships as part of the DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund's 2006 Aid to Higher Education program.

"The Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan, the UPS Foundation and the DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund believe in AIM's mission and in Kettering's ability to carry it out," Tavada added. "These gifts will make a great impact in helping students of color make successful transitions from high school to college, and in Kettering's ability to draw more minority students into engineering and technology fields."

AIM is a five-week residential summer program designed to help students of color make a successful transition from high school to college. Students from across the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean attend freshman level courses Monday through Thursday in calculus, chemistry, chemistry lab, computer programming, computer lab, economics, physics, physics lab and business management.

Classes are taught by Kettering University faculty who assign homework and give exams. On Fridays, company tours are scheduled and students are able to speak with professional engineers and managers. During the evenings and on weekends, chaperoned activities take place including bowling, skating, movies and a trip to Cedar Point. Students also have access to the library, computer center and the recreational center. At the end of the program, scholarships are awarded to the students who rank in the top 15 of the AIM program. There is no cost to the student.

To participate, African American, Hispanic and Native American students must have completed their junior year with a minimum 3.0 GPA in English, math and chemistry courses (two years of high school algebra or the equivalent preparation; one year of geometry; one year of high school chemistry with lab; and two years of high school English). For more information on AIM, contact Ricky D. Brown, director of Pre-College Programs at (810) 762-9845 or 1-800-955-4464 ext. 9845.

The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan continues to promote and facilitate charitable giving through its Increasing Regional Philanthropy effort. The new effort strives to strengthen philanthropy in the seven-county region it serves. Increasing Regional Philanthropy: Everyone Can Be a Philanthropist is aimed at improving and enhancing the quality of life in southeast Michigan by significantly increasing the financial resources available for the region's charitable sector.

UPS
Founded in 1907 as a messenger company in the United States, UPS has grown into a $42.6 billion corporation by clearly focusing on the goal of enabling commerce around the globe. Today UPS is a global company with one of the most recognized and admired brands in the world. We have become the world's largest package delivery company and a leading global provider of specialized transportation and logistics services. Every day, we manage the flow of goods, funds, and information in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.

DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund
DaimlerChrysler Corporation, a subsidiary of DaimlerChrysler AG, established the Chrysler Fund in 1953 as a non-profit entity with sole purpose of enriching the physical, educational and cultural needs of communities. Now known as the DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund, the mission of making a positive, lasting difference in the communities and business environments in which they do business continues to flourish. The fund focuses on programs that support future workforce, community vitality, involved employees, and public policy and marketplace issues.

Kettering University
Located in Flint, Michigan, Kettering University (formerly General Motors Institute) is one of the country's premier co-op institutions and is ranked among the nation's finest specialty schools by U.S. News and World Report.

Written by Patricia Mroczek
(810) 762-9533
pmroczek@kettering.edu