Toro, Atlanta Univ. team up
Toro is joining with the Atlanta University Center Consortium (AUCC) and its Dual Degree Engineering Program (DDEP) to expand opportunities for black students to pursue careers in engineering.
Over the next five years, The Toro Company has committed $375,000 to fund scholarships for engineering students from the member institutions.
“As we seek to create new partnerships and opportunities to help shape the future of our workforce, we are very excited to partner with the AUCC and support students pursuing degrees in the engineering field,” said Dr. Carliss Miller, senior manager, diversity, equity and inclusion at Toro.
The grant includes financial assistance for tuition and indirect costs associated with student scholarships, said the company.
In addition to scholarships, Toro said it will provide paid internship opportunities for DDEP students to gain deeper experiences across its many businesses.
“For over 50 years, we, in partnership with our engineering schools, have been producing black engineers who go on to lead lives of leadership and service,” said Dr. Said Sewell, chief academic, research, and student success officer and director at The Atlanta University Center Consortium, Inc.
“Our success in many ways is the result of industry partners like Toro choosing to support our students academically and professionally through scholarships and paid internships. We look forward to a long and fruitful partnership with The Toro Company,” said Sewell.
This investment and partnership come as the demand for jobs in STEM are projected to rise, said the firm, due to an increasing number of people who are transferring to other occupations or exiting the workforce.
It also aligns with what Toro called its strategic commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and goal to increase the number of women and racial and ethnic minorities in leadership positions by at least 20% by fiscal 2025 as compared to fiscal 2021.
“Students who are selected for the program will have many opportunities, such as learning from leadership and subject matter experts in the industry to support their academic and professional development,” said Miller.
