Project ENGAGES (Engaging New Generations at Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech Receives Grant from Johnson & Johnson for New Bridge to Employment Program

Georgia Tech was recently awarded a $100,000 grant from Johnson & Johnson. As part of the grant, ENGAGES (Engaging New Generations at Georgia Tech through Engineering & Science) will serve as the coordinating site entity for Johnson & Johnson’s new Bridge to Employment (BTE) program.

ENGAGES is an education program supported by Georgia Tech’s Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience that partners with seven minority-serving public high schools in the City of Atlanta

“We’re thrilled to have been selected as the site for Atlanta,” said Damon Williams, Co-Director of ENGAGES and Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence at the College of Engineering. “Johnson & Johnson’s BTE program perfectly embodies ENGAGES overall mission – expose more underrepresented students to career path possibilities in engineering and science.”

Over the next three years ENGAGES will work with BTE to increase the number of Atlanta-area high school students enrolling in higher education. The grant aims to mentor and support 35-50 students from 10th grade through graduation.

“This partnership with Johnson & Johnson will help us reach even more students,” said Lakeita Servance, ENGAGES Program Manager and Director of the Atlanta BTE program. “This is a really exciting time, and we look forward to bringing more awareness to STEM-related activities and opportunities.”

ENGAGES (Engaging New Generations at Georgia Tech through Engineering & Science) is a high school science education program developed at Georgia Tech in partnership with Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy, B.E.S.T Academy, South Atlanta High School, Benjamin E. Mays High School, D.M. Therrell High School, Booker T. Washington High School, and Charles R. Drew Charter School, seven minority-serving public high schools in the City of Atlanta. 

  • Raise the awareness of students to the world of engineering, science, and technology through real-world, hands-on research projects led by top-notch Georgia Tech scientists and to expose students to the career path possibilities in engineering and science.

  • Improve the partner schools’ current science education program through direct interaction with the science classes at these schools and through a teacher training initiative that immerses teachers in ongoing research within Georgia Tech laboratories.

The future of the U.S. “rests” on being at the forefront of science and technology and to do this requires that we have a STEM-educated workforce. It is also recognized that the most creative engineering teams are the ones that are the most divergent. With the changing demographics of the U.S., it is critical, and it is also our motivation, that we bring underrepresented populations into the STEM fields as early as possible to inspire them to aspire for high achievement and success.

Spring 2024 Semester Calendar

Click here to view the 2024 ENGAGES Spring semester calendar. 

ENGAGES Industry Visits

ENGAGES scholars have the opportunity to gain additional exposure to new research and medical technology through industry visits. Businesses, such as Axion Biosystems, C.R. Bard, and Dendreon, have opened their doors to provide company tours to these scholars and educate them on how their industry works and employment opportunities. Early exposure to such companies will enable these scholars to start planning for their future careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.

Giving Opportunities

Those wishing to support ENGAGES financially may do so online (click here) or by mailing a check payable to the “Georgia Tech Foundation” to the following address:

Georgia Tech Foundation
760 Spring Street NW, Suite 400
Atlanta, GA 30308

Note: Please designate the gift for “ENGAGES (Fund# 55A493)” in the memo line of your check.

For questions about your giving, such as multi-year commitments, gifts of securities, endowments, or estate gifts, please contact Luke O’Connell at luke.oconnell@bme.gatech.edu or (404) 385-0471.