A longstanding partnership between The Boeing Company and Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL) is being hailed as a potential model for how to diversify STEM fields in general and America’s aerospace industry in particular.
“We’re really watching this one with great interest because I think it’s a model that we could use later,” says Dr. Joan Ferrini-Mundy, chief operating officer at the National Science Foundation.
Ferrini-Mundy is referring to an initiative known as The Boeing-Washington University in St. Louis Partnership.
Besides Boeing and WUSTL, the partnership involves the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) and several community colleges, including St. Louis Community College.
Collectively, the multibillion-dollar aerospace giant and the colleges and universities collaborate to offer a low-cost pathway to an accredited engineering program.
Program participants can qualify for scholarships and internships. Mentorship is also offered.
The ultimate goal is to prepare students from diverse backgrounds from St. Louis and the surrounding region for jobs at Boeing, where the average salary is $100,000 — more than double the average for St. Louis residents, according to program officials.
