A&T, Corning Kick Off Five-Year, $5.5M Partnership

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Aug. 27, 2021) – North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and Corning Incorporated kicked off their five-year partnership with a day-long, on-campus event Friday, Aug. 27, highlighted by the introduction of the 53 new Corning Scholars and Fellows at America’s largest historically Black university.

The partnership is the result of a $5.5 million gift from Corning, announced in January, that is designed chiefly to prepare North Carolina A&T students for careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and education and to graduate more teachers from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds.

The relationship between N.C. A&T and Corning will have a tremendous local, state and national impact, said Paula Groves Price, Ph.D., dean of A&T’s College of Education and president of the American Educational Studies Association.

“This partnership addresses a critical need to diversify the STEM workforce by investing in an entire education ecosystem,” said Price. “While many corporations might invest only in scholarships to recruit STEM graduates, Corning’s approach is much more comprehensive and impactful for current and future A&T students. They are invested in not only supporting the diversification of the teaching profession, but also improving access and experiences for students in communities across the state.

“In addition to scholarships for STEM students, Corning is investing in Aggie Educators – future teachers who will inspire our future innovators – and K-12 STEM programming that will reach thousands of children in the state.”

During the event, N.C. A&T and Corning leaders met and shared lunch with 30 of the Corning Scholars and Fellows, including Olivia Rogers of Pfafftown, North Carolina, who is studying elementary education.

“Corning Scholars is such a blessing to me,” said Rogers. “As a Corning Scholar, I represent our future leaders and educators. Without this scholarship I would not have been able to go to college, let alone one with such an excellent education program.”

“This is a proud day for Corning as we celebrate these young scholars at North Carolina A&T State University who inspire us with their hard work, intellectual curiosity and enormous potential,” said Michael A. Bell, senior vice president and general manager of Corning’s Optical Communications business. “The first class of Corning Scholars and Fellows represent some of the bright young minds that will help fuel Corning with the diverse talent we need to continue our record of life-changing innovation for another 170 years.”

Following the luncheon, Corning representatives visited the College of Education, College of Engineering, College of Science and Technology (COST) and the Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics. The day concluded with a hospitality reception open to the campus community, during which talent and recruiting staff were available to talk about careers at Corning.

Corning employs nearly 5,000 in North Carolina, with a 50-year history of advanced manufacturing in the state. Across its Optical Communications and Life Sciences businesses, Corning operates facilities in Hickory, Newton, Concord, Charlotte, Winston-Salem, Wilmington, Tarboro and Durham.

The inaugural cohort of Corning Scholars and Fellows, is listed below with their hometowns, study program and college:

• Pia Agliam, Fayetteville, North Carolina, mechanical engineering, College of Engineering
• Kaleb Artis, Greensboro, North Carolina, mechanical engineering, College of Engineering
• Ny’Asia Badger, Columbia, South Carolina, computer science, College of Engineering
• Adam Bearden, Columbia, chemical engineering, College of Engineering
• Devin Boyd, Charlotte, MBA, Deese College

• Taylor Brotherton, Burgaw, North Carolina, teaching, College of Education

• Quiorra Brown, Richmond, Virginia, MBA, Deese College
• Brendan Bryan, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, computer science, College of Engineering
• Bria Caison, Wake Forest, North Carolina, bioengineering, College of Engineering
• Cameron Chambers, Charlotte, computer engineering, College of Engineering
• Brandon Davis, Greensboro, mechanical engineering, College of Engineering
• Nigel Devane, Greensboro, information technology, COST
• Torrance Eberhart, Greensboro, mechanical engineering, College of Engineering
• Ahkenaton Furdge, Clarksdale, Mississippi, electrical engineering, College of Engineering
• Abdur-Raqib Gant, Princeville, North Carolina, mechanical engineering, College of Engineering
• Marega Halimatou, Chicago, elementary education, College of Education
• Lauren Haynes, Buford, Georgia, chemistry, COST
• Taylor Headen, Greensboro, computer science, College of Engineering
• Niya Henderson, La Plata, Maryland, computer science, College of Engineering
• Steven Henderson, Greensboro, MBA, Deese College
• Kevin Hilliard, Greensboro, computer science, College of Engineering
• Hannah Hunter, Bluffton, South Carolina, elementary education, College of Education
• Tatyana Jackson, Roslindale, Massachusetts, chemistry, COST
• Pernell Johnson, Durham, computer engineering, College of Engineering
• Sidney Johnson, Charlotte, computer science, College of Engineering
• Alexandra Jones, Hope Mills, North Carolina, physics, COST
• Moraya Lewis, Charlotte, elementary education, College of Education
• Brandon Manns, Reidsville, North Carolina, computer engineering, College of Engineering
• Tony Martin, Greensboro, industrial and systems engineering, College of Engineering
• Aliyah McCray, Greensboro, MBA, Deese College
• Jessica Mitchell, Thonotosassa, Florida, computer science, College of Engineering
• Anthony Odom, Red Springs, North Carolina, elementary education, College of Education
• Lynn Ogot, Fuqua-Varina, North Carolina bioengineering, College of Engineering
• Edwin Onugha, Raleigh, North Carolina, data science and engineering, College of Engineering
• Jasmine Pollock, Fredericksburg, Virginia, MBA, Deese College
• Zephaniah Prince, Selma, North Carolina, mechanical engineering, College of Engineering
• Ryan Reese, Greensboro, electrical engineering, College of Engineering
• Taniya Robertson, Laurens, South Carolina, mechanical engineering, College of Engineering
• Amina Robinson, Durham, bioengineering, College of Engineering

• Olivia Rogers, Pfafftown, North Carolina, elementary education, College of Education

• Paula Salmon, Greensboro, teaching, College of Education
• Makynzie Sprinkle, Winston-Salem, elementary education, College of Education
• Allison Stegall, Colonial Beach, Virginia, teaching, College of Education
• Jeremy Stowe, Greensboro, mechanical engineering, College of Engineering
• Trevor Surratt, Garysburg, North Carolina, bioengineering, College of Engineering
• Mikayla Thornton, Durham, computer science, College of Engineering
• Daniel Tobias, High Point, North Carolina, data science and engineering, College of Engineering
• Nathan Vazquez, High Point, civil engineering, College of Engineering
• Jared Via, Greensboro, MBA, Deese College
• Laila Watts, Easley, South Carolina, elementary education, College of Education
• Christopher Williams, Wagram, North Carolina, industrial and systems engineering, College of Engineering
• T’Asia Williamson, Goldsboro, North Carolina, elementary education, College of Education
• Kojo Wilson, Gibsonville, North Carolina, teaching, College of Education