Technology Firm Creates Black College Program
By Ronald Roach
MCLEAN, VA.
Science and technology giant Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) has launched a project with historically Black colleges and universities to promote the participation of minority institutions in SAIC’s procurement and acquisition processes.
“SAIC has embarked on a multi-year effort to substantially increase our activities with HBCUs,” says Arnold Punaro, SAIC executive vice president and general manager of Washington Operations. “Our aim is to support these institutions and their students and also give them greater opportunities to work with our corporation.”
The company’s plan includes scholarship, training and funding components. SAIC will create scholarships to be awarded to students at select HBCUs and minority institutions. The creation of these scholarships is to advance the education of highly qualified students and promote the success and achievement of minorities in technical fields. In the past, the company has granted scholarships in engineering, the physical sciences and related disciplines to students at Alabama A&M University and Florida International University, among other minority institutions.
Also part of SAIC’s new initiative is the development of a training program for HBCUs/MIs to instruct them in proposal and business development practices in government contracting. More than 20 representatives from six minority institutions have already taken part in classroom-based training designed by SAIC to strengthen their institutions’ competitive position in the federal government marketplace.
The company also will continue to provide funding to HBCUs/MIs to help government contracting efforts at those institutions, according to officials.
“SAIC’s contribution to the HBCU/MI community is aimed at helping these institutions to be better-equipped to pursue government contracting. We are essentially fostering strong, capable teammates, so we see it as a win-win situation,” says George Otchere, SAIC senior vice president.
