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33 students graduate from program designed to inspire the next generation of engineers
GREENVILLE, South Carolina (May 22, 2025) – Last week, GE Vernova and Clemson University celebrated the graduation of 33 students from Next Engineers, a global college-and career-readiness program creating opportunities for young people to become engineers. This is the second graduating class of Next Engineers: Engineering Academy students in Greenville, South Carolina.
Thirty-three students from the program’s second Academy cohort celebrated their graduation alongside family, friends, GE Vernova, and Next Engineers leaders at Clemson University’s Conference Center & Inn. Clemson University is the educational partner for the local Next Engineers program, which was established in 2021.
John Intile, Vice President, Engineering GE Vernova, told the graduates that they are critical to driving transformation and shaping a better, brighter, more sustainable future for all.
“You are the embodiment of the energy of change. Your education--and this program--has equipped you with the skills, knowledge, and resilience required to make a meaningful impact in whatever path you choose. As you prepare to enter this next chapter, know that your GE Vernova family will be with you sharing their resilient optimism in you and the future you will create. We believe wholeheartedly that each one of you has the energy to change the world.”
Students who complete the Engineering Academy program and enroll in a qualified engineering or engineering-related degree program receive scholarships to support their education toward becoming engineers. To date, the Next Engineers program in Greenville has reached nearly 5,400 students and awarded over $900,000 in scholarships to qualifying graduates.
Serita Acker, the executive director of Clemson’s PEER & WISE, said that the skills and knowledge students have received have laid a solid foundation and she is proud to witness this second cohort pursue engineering degrees at institutions across the country.
“Now in our fourth year, Next Engineers continues to transform lives by investing in the future of STEM and empowering the next generation of diverse innovators. I am especially grateful for the Clemson University faculty, staff, students, and graduate students for their continued engagement, as well as for the partnership and support from Upstate high schools who help make this initiative possible.”
The Next Engineers: Engineering Academy is a transformative learning experience designed for students aged 15 to 18. Through a rigorous curriculum, immersive design challenges, and career coaching, students learn to think and act like engineers. The program is supported by Clemson who equips participants with the skills needed to build an engineering identity and pursue successful careers in engineering fields. GE Vernova engineers and employees from Greenville, S.C., actively engage with the program through skill-based volunteering, donating over 1,200 hours last year.
Next Engineers is not the only way the community has committed to producing the next generation of STEM talent. The GE John Lammas Annual Scholarship, funded by GE Vernova in Greenville, provides $8,000 scholarships to undergraduate students majoring in general engineering, chemical engineering, computer engineering, computer information systems, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering and materials science and engineering.
For more information about Next Engineers and the Engineering Academy, visit NextEngineers.org.
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About Next Engineers
Next Engineers, a program originally funded by the GE Foundation in 2021, now known as the GE Aerospace Foundation, is a college and career readiness program dedicated to inspiring and preparing the next generation of engineers. Through innovative programs, mentorship, and community partnerships, we empower young minds to shape a better future through engineering.
About Clemson University
One of the most productive public research universities in the nation, Clemson University attracts and powerfully unites students and faculty whose greatest desire is to make a difference in the lives of others. Ranked among the best national public universities by U.S. News & World Report, Clemson is dedicated to teaching, research, and service. Our main campus, located in Upstate South Carolina, sits on 1,400 acres in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, along the shores of Lake Hartwell. We have a presence in every South Carolina county through research facilities, economic development hubs and Innovation Campuses. Through the research, outreach and entrepreneurial projects led by our faculty and students, Clemson University is driving economic development and improving quality of life in South Carolina and beyond.
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About GE Vernova
GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE: GEV) is a purpose-built global energy company that includes Power, Wind, and Electrification segments and is supported by its accelerator businesses. Building on over 130 years of experience tackling the world’s challenges, GE Vernova is uniquely positioned to help lead the energy transition by continuing to electrify the world while simultaneously working to decarbonize it. GE Vernova helps customers power economies and deliver electricity that is vital to health, safety, security, and improved quality of life. GE Vernova is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., with approximately 75,000 employees across approximately 100 countries around the world. Supported by the Company’s purpose, The Energy to Change the World, GE Vernova technology helps deliver a more affordable, reliable, sustainable, and secure energy future.
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