The Success Story of Black Engineering Students at Kettering University

Nationwide only about 40 percent of the African-American students who enter undergraduate engineering programs go on to graduate. But at Kettering University in Flint, Michigan, the graduation rate for black engineering students is 80 percent.

The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) recently honored Kettering University for its success in educating black engineers. The society singled out Kettering because black engineering students at Kettering have the highest grade point average at any university that has an NSBE chapter.

Once owned and operated by General Motors, since 1982 Kettering has been an independent, private university. The university offers a five-year co-op engineering degree program with students alternating classroom and workplace experience. The university retains strong ties to General Motors. About 15 percent of the students at the university hold co-op jobs at GM. About 5 percent of the student body at Kettering University is black.

Copyright © 2009. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. All rights reserved.