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Dozens of college students are benefiting annually from three different Freudenberg scholarship programs in the U.S. and Mexico.
The new Freudenberg Diversity Scholarship in North America is giving underrepresented college students $10,000 a year toward their education. This scholarship, new in 2022, is focused on granting aid to Black college students with financial need.
The goal of this new scholarship program, for students at Georgia Institute of Technology and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, is to increase retention for Black students seeking engineering degrees in the United States. According to the Education Data Initiative, 12.5 percent of college students in postsecondary education in the United States identify as Black or African American.
Meet Gideon
Gideon Ndeh is one of the first recipients of the Freudenberg Diversity Scholarship. He says this scholarship made a significant difference in his finances because it saved him from having to take out a student loan this semester.
Born in west-central Africa, Ndeh immigrated to the United States when he was eight years old. He is currently in a dual degree program to receive an applied physics degree with a math minor from Morehouse College and a mechanical engineering degree from Georgia Institute of Technology.
While on a trip to Georgia for a conference, D&I Community 2.0 member Sebrina Hicks from Freudenberg Sealing Technologies reached out to Ndeh to learn more about his education path and career goals.
“Sebrina reaching out to me, that was a special moment,” said Gideon Ndeh, Freudenberg Diversity Scholarship recipient
When asked what companies like Freudenberg can do to help scholarship recipients, Ndeh said offer guidance to help ensure they are on the right education path and allow them opportunities to explore the industry.
“Follow up with scholarship recipients, whether it’s checking in or offering other opportunities to benefit their professional development,” said Gideon Ndeh, Freudenberg Diversity Scholarship recipient.
Working toward a career in clean energy, Ndeh is still trying to determine what role would be the best fit for him. One thing he does know is he wants to find ways to be more efficient when producing power.
As for 2023, Ndeh is preparing for a semester abroad in France with Georgia Tech. His primary goals are to learn French and discover new cultures.
The Freudenberg Diversity Scholarship is granted annually to one student from Georgia Institute of Technology and one from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. The recipients must be enrolled in engineering or business curriculums. A recipient can reapply the following year. Get more information about the Freudenberg Diversity Scholarship.
Born in west-central Africa, Ndeh immigrated to the United States when he was eight years old.
Gideon Ndeh is one of the first recipients of the Freudenberg Diversity Scholarship.
More scholarship initiatives from Freudenberg in North America:
This new Diversity Scholarship is in addition to a $1.5 million 10-year commitment by Freudenberg in 2018 to grant scholarships to socially disadvantaged students with financial need in the United States of America and Mexico. The students receiving these scholarships are on a track for careers in mechanical engineering, polymer science or business.
By partnering with ten universities across North America, Freudenberg is ensuring these students are given support throughout their educational journey by working closely with university staff and ambassador employees from Freudenberg. Two scholarships are granted annually at each of the nine universities in the United States of America. Approximately six scholarships are granted each year at the university in Mexico.
Partner Universities
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
- North Carolina State, Raleigh, North Carolina
- Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
- University of Massachusetts, Lowell, Massachusetts
- Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina
- University of Akron, Akron, Ohio
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
- California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California
- Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Querétaro, México
Why this initiative matters?
According to data from the Pew Research Center, Black workers make up nine percent of STEM jobs in the United States but 11 percent of the overall workforce. Comparatively, Hispanic workers represent just eight percent of STEM jobs but 17 percent of the overall workforce. Meanwhile, 67 percent of the STEM workforce in the U.S. is made up of white workers but white workers comprise 63 percent of the overall workforce in the U.S.