The leading historically black institution of higher education celebrates this new partnership that seeks to fund STEM students from diverse backgrounds and provide them with laboratory instrumentation and mentorship to support graduate research in the life sciences.

Agilent Technologies Inc., a world leader in the life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemistry markets, through its Agilent Foundation, has established as a central mission of its philanthropic work to promote diversity in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Mike McMullen, Agilent President and CEO, stated:

This partnership will help us provide direct support to these students and encourage more scholars at HBCUs across the mid-Atlantic to consider opportunities at Agilent and within the broader life sciences sector.

Timely Donation

Agilent's donation comes just at the right time, coinciding with the start of construction of a new 24,000-square-foot building for DSU's College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (CAST), which includes space for new laboratories.

Agilent resources will also be used to help DSU expand educational opportunities and advance research in applied chemistry, life sciences, food science, molecular and cellular neuroscience, and related disciplines.

The donation will fully fund 21 graduate and undergraduate students seeking STEM degrees.

Agilent will also provide mentoring opportunities for DSU students with Agilent scientists, engineers and researchers and help fund DSU's summer internship program for STEM students.

Also, as part of Agilent's broader philanthropic work, which is focused on growing the pipeline of early-career professionals entering the life sciences industry and addressing climate change and other environmental issues, donations from employees to HBCUs will be extended through the end of the year.

Agilent's support will also help build the research capacity of a consortium of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the Mid-Atlantic region led by the state of Delaware.

Reactions 

“Many believe that this is a renaissance moment for HBCUs. It’s not. We’ve been doing the work for 175 years—building the most useful pipeline for African Americans to the American middle class and breaking new ground in every field of human endeavor. Great companies like Agilent understand the work and are connecting with our system for the long term, a system still producing 25% of all the Black STEM graduates in our country. Our partnership with Agilent is about making the HBCU difference today, tomorrow, and for generations to come,” said Dr. Tony Allen, DSU President.

"DSU is making important contributions to the STEM fields, and this donation will help ensure this historically underinvested and underrepresented community is getting the resources needed to have an even greater impact,” said Gregory MacKenney, the Vice President of Agilent's instrument supplies business, and an alumnus of Morgan State University and co-founder of Agilent’s networking group for Black employees.