Rep. Adams Hosts 6th Annual HBCU STEAM Days of Action
Washington, D.C. (March 29, 2023) – The 2023 HBCU STEAM Days of Action, hosted by the Congressional Bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caucus and Congresswoman Alma Adams (NC-12) begins today, Wednesday, March 29th at the United States Capitol.
“HBCUs contribute nearly $15 billion to our annual economy and have provided pathways of opportunity to millions of Americans, many of whom are first generation college students,” said Congresswoman Adams, Founder and Co-Chair of the Bipartisan HBCU Caucus. “Additionally, HBCUs produce over a quarter of African American STEM/STEAM graduates in the United States, and it has never been more important to make sure every talented student has access to a world class science, technology, engineering, arts, and math education.
“That is why we host HBCU STEAM Days of Action. It’s a time when HBCUs come to Capitol Hill to advocate for more equitable federal resources – and they don’t come alone. They are joined by industry leaders who have made a commitment to creating strategic and sustainable partnerships with HBCUs. When equipped with a STEAM education from an HBCU, the sky is the limit for our students,” concluded Adams.
During STEAM Days, HBCU and business leaders will meet with Republican and Democratic Members of Congress in the House and Senate. Over 70 HBCUs, organizations, technology companies, and industry leaders are sending representatives to participate in these days of advocacy. Over the past five years, the “day” has proven so successful that it was expanded to multiple days in 2020. This year’s HBCU STEAM Days of Action will be the first held primarily in person since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The bipartisan list of Congressional leaders participating in this year’s HBCU STEAM Days includes:
- Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)
- Rep. French Hill (R-AR), Co-Chair of the HBCU Caucus
- Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL), Vice Chair of the HBCU Caucus
- Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), Co-Chair of the HBCU Caucus
- Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE), Co-Chair of the HBCU Caucus
- Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)
- Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL)
- Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
- Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD)
As co-chair of the HBCU Caucus, Rep. Adams also leads the HBCU Partnership Challenge, which will be highlighted during HBCU STEAM Day. For more information on the partnership challenge click here.
BACKGROUND
Sixty-seven percent of job seekers say a diverse workforce is important when considering job offers, and organizations that report higher levels of racial diversity bring in nearly 15 times more sales revenue than their counterparts. The Bipartisan HBCU Caucus believes that in order to achieve true diversity in our workforce, we must focus on the front-end of this conversation – our students and the schools they attend.
The influence of HBCUs on our workforce is clear. HBCUs produce:
- 27 percent of all African-American STEM graduates;
- 40 percent of all African-American engineers;
- 50 percent of all African-American lawyers;
- 50 percent of all African-American public-school teachers; and
- 80 percent of all African-American judges.
These statistics demonstrate it is impossible to have a diverse and inclusive workforce without HBCUs.
For more information, or to RSVP, please contact Sam Spencer (Sam.Spencer@mail.house.gov).
Congresswoman Alma Adams represents North Carolina’s 12th Congressional District (Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, Cabarrus County). In 2015, she founded the first bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caucus in Congress. She is a double graduate of North Carolina A&T, the largest HBCU by enrollment in the United States.
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