Photo Caption: Pictured above, U.S. Congressman James Clyburn (SC-06) applauded the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding agreement between Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, Allen University (AU), and Benedict College (BC) that will provide a wide variety of resources to each Historically Black College and University donated by SRNS for the benefit of the students. Standing BC Vice President for Institutional Advancement, Leandra Hayes-Burgess; US. Congressman James Clyburn, AU President, Dr. Ernest McNealy, and SRNS President Stuart MacVean.
AIKEN, S.C., September 15, 2020 – Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS), Benedict College (BC) and Allen University (AU) have agreed to an individual Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will provide a wide variety of resources to each Historically Black College and University donated by SRNS for the benefit of their students, including monetary donations in support of scholarships and paid internships.
“Since the first day of the contract in 2008, SRNS has continued to support the valued heritage established at SRS in support of all levels of education throughout the region,” said SRNS President and CEO Stuart MacVean. “Over the last four years alone, SRNS has donated more than $260,000 to area colleges and universities.”
U.S. Congressman James Clyburn (SC-06) applauded the SRNS MOUs with both institutions and their potential impact, “An internship can be a game-changer that opens doors, builds experience and offers an excellent ‘test-drive’ for both students and employers. This is an outstanding, comprehensive effort to prepare students for the many current and future career opportunities right here in South Carolina, at the Savannah River Site.”
The MOU agreement with BC and AU includes:
– Offer an annual tour of SRS for students and faculty and provide students subject matter experts to serve as advisors and/or mentors;
– provide two staffing workshops per year that will educate students on the process of applying for jobs and internships at SRNS;
-provide two resume writing/job interview workshops per year that will help prepare potential candidates for panel interviews and possible full service hiring at SRNS, while coordinating with SRNS hiring managers concerning applicant qualifications in order to broaden the opportunity scope of position availability;
– promote and create awareness of specific careers and related degree programs pertaining to current and potential future workforce needs associated with cybersecurity, engineering and business management using the SRNS website at www.savannahrivernuclearsolutions.com; and,
– the college is to collaborate with SRNS to integrate additional information or modify existing programs to more closely align with SRNS workforce requirements.
“Our MOU with SRNS directly aligns with Benedict’s strategic plan and commitment to produce a highly skilled minority talent pool for the region’s workforce. This partnership is a great example of how we can work with area companies and organizations to provide a broad array of services and opportunities for our students while simultaneously helping to fuel the economy,” said Benedict College President and CEO Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis.
With the MOU agreements signed by Benedict College and Allen University, SRNS officials have established MOUs with 13 local colleges, universities and veteran programs.
“We realize the importance of working with SRNS personnel to determine how our programs can be aligned to optimally meet their job-specific needs in multiple occupations found at SRS,” said Allen University President Dr. Ernest McNealey. “There are many rewarding careers to be pursued at the Savannah River Site.”
SRNS has provided more than five million dollars for education outreach since 2008, impacting more than 260,000 students and educators throughout the seven counties near the SRS.
Last year, more than 30,000 students and educators directly benefited from 12 SRNS Education Outreach annual programs and events prior to the closure of school buildings.
About Benedict College
Founded in 1870 by a woman, Bathsheba A. Benedict, Benedict College is a private co-educational liberal arts institution with over 2,100 students enrolled in its 25 baccalaureate degree programs. Defying trends, Benedict College maintains an equal male and female student population. This Midlands HBCU welcomes students from all 46 counties in South Carolina, 30 states across America, and 26 countries around the world.
Benedict offers several high-demand fields of study in STEM, Cyber Security, Mass Communication, Sport Management, Business Administration, Engineering, Computer Science, Biology, and Education. The College also has a diverse faculty of which 80 percent are full-time, and 60 percent hold doctorates or the equivalent.
Over the past ten years, three out of five Benedict College graduates have attended professional or graduate schools. There are over 17,000 proud Benedict Tigers throughout the nation. Benedict College has been a community leader for over 150-years and is a significant contributor to South Carolina and the region. Contributing $130 million and 1,218 jobs in total local and annual economic impact, a Benedict graduate working full-time throughout his or her working life can expect to earn $1.1 million in additional income because of their Benedict College degree.
The College made front-page news in the spring of 2018 when it became the first South Carolina college to lower its tuition by 26 percent. Cutting tuition drew praise from the Commission on Higher Education, South Carolina’s education oversight body. The commissioner noted that the move Benedict College made should be applauded because it offers families affordability and students greater access to higher education.
Benedict College has been highly regarded and exceptionally ranked for its programs by several academic and traditional publications. For example, Benedict College was ranked as one of the top baccalaureate colleges in the nation by Washington Monthly magazine for creating social mobility and producing cutting-edge scholarship and research. In 2019, Benedict College received the 2019 ACE/ Fidelity Investments Awards for Institutional Transformation and was named the HBCU of the Year by HBCU Digest.
Benedict College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate and masters degrees. Five of the College’s degree programs hold national accreditation: The School of Education, Social Work, Environmental Health Science, Arts and Sciences and the Tyrone Adam Burroughs School of Business and Entrepreneurship.
