Alabama A&M UniversityMentor Protégé Relationships and Initiatives

Larry McDaniel, Ph.D.

September 17, 2015

Overview

Alabama A&M University a HBCU, has served as an invaluable resource and partner in several Mentor Protégé relationships with NASA, and several of its partners.

These relationships/partnerships have lead to:

- Employment of faculty, students, and use of universities facilities in business opportunities/relationships with the mentor and/or protégé.

-Delivery of programs in which students, faculty and external partners work together to produce outcomes that benefit each other.

(Win-Win for mentors and proteges).

NASA and Alabama A&M University Partner in Transfer Technology Initiative

Graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in two entrepreneurship courses at Alabama A&M University are currently partnering with the NASA ‘s Office of Technology Transfer to investigate and develop a proposal that will examine the potential alternative uses and commercialization of NASA employees inventions,

Example: Andrew Schnell of the Advanced Concepts Office of MSFC presented his invention, the Rigidized Inflatable Stuctures to the students on Tuesday September 8, at Alabama A&M University, College of Business and Public Affairs. After the presentation. Mr Schnell stated that “I enjoyed presenting my technology to the students in last night's class. I'm looking forward to hearing your students' ideas for rigidized inflatable structures. I heard several good ideas from your students just in the few minutes I talked to them”.

Dr. Williams H. Sims IIILead RF Microwave EngineerMarshall Space Flight Center

Ms. Gwenevere JasperTechnology Transfer/SBIR/STTR/Specialist

ZP30/Technology Development and Transfer OfficeMarshall Space Flight Center

Students Enrolled in a Graduate Entrepreneurship Course

High-Speed, Low-Cost Telemetry Access from Space

High Power Solid StatePower Amplifier Systems

NASA Executive on Loan Programand Alabama A&M University

Mr. Gregory Dees, from NASA’s Office of Strategy & Policy ImplementationWashington D.C. Metro Area Government Administration spend time at Alabama A&M Univesity as a participant of the NASA Executive on Loan Program researching and developing a proposal for a Center of Experiential and Service Learning.

Experiential and Service Learning provides students the opportunity to apply course content to practical experience and develop personal, academic, and work proficiencies.

The goal of the center would be to build an experiential learning and service capability within the university that would offer students national and international work and service experiences before graduation.

Areojet Rocketdyne and Alabama A&M University (MPA)

• Experiential Learning through Co-ops and Job Shadowing• Equipment Exchange• Executive Speaker and Lecture Series • Job Readiness Workshops• Members of AAMU Business and Engineering Advisory Boards• One-on-One Interviews • Scholarship

Lockheed Martin/ IREUIS, and Alabama A&M University

•   Professors provided Expert knowledge through Training and Consultation• Student Experiential Learning through internships and co-ops

Boeing/Victory Solutions, Inc., and Alabama A&M university

• Professors provided Expert knowledge through Training and Consultation

Some of Our Successful Mentor Protégé Relationships with NASA Partners

Corporate Leadership and Executive Speaker Series (CLESS)

DEANS AND FACULTY

AREOJETEXECUTIVES

ADVISORY BOARD

MEMBERS

AAMU DIRECTORSAND

ADMINISTRATORS

Job Readerness Workshops

Topics of Seminars/ Workshops

1. “Tactics for Succeeding in Corporate America: What to Do, and Not Do”.

2. “Leadership: An Executive Perspective” What it Takes to Be and Effective and Successful Leader in Corporate America Today

3 “Business Ethics: The Impact/Role of Business Ethics on Corporate America and the Economy”

4. “Bridging the Gap between Academics and Corporate America”

Benefits and Outcomes

1. Students engage in experiential leaning from their exposure to real protégé and mentor working situations that make it easier to transition into the workforce,

2. Executives of these firms, in turn are able to identify outstanding candidates for employment after graduation

3. Exchange of expert knowledge and experiences between faculty and business professionals benefit the university and the organizations.

(Closing the Gap between the Academic and Business Community.