GIVE A GIFT: BENJAMIN BANNEKER INSTITUTUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Dear Supporter,
I am writing to request your support to assist young African Americans who wish to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.
Genius exists in all the nooks and crannies of our society, in all our people, across every imaginable spectrum. The challenges our nation must solve this century if we are to avoid cataclysmic changes in our way of life are daunting — global warming, energy independence, national competitiveness, and health care, just to name a few. We need to tap into all of our sources of creative problem-solving insight if we hope to make real progress in these areas.
Unfortunately, historical biases continue to inhibit our ability to fully exploit all of our resources. Disparities are growing in the United States and these disparities are exacerbated by unequal chances. A major source of growing disparities in this information intensive age is the increasingly powerful truth that an excellent education is a prerequisite to advancement, and African Americans are disproportionately affected by the inadequacies of our system of public education. Improvement has been slow, while at the same time, the global pace of technological advancement has become the stuff of legends. I say to you boldly and without equivocation that our diversity is an integral part of America's greatness, and that it is imperative that in whatever plans we make for our country now and in the future, that we capitalize on that global asset.
The work of the Benjamin Banneker Institute for Science and Technology represents an opportunity to address many of the inequities that have plagued our educational systems since the beginning of the Republic. This Institute was established under a Congressional mandate in 2003 to address the low participation of African Americans in STEM disciplines. Since then we have launched the Decade of Blacks in Science and established a collaborative Network of Networks among Science Membership organizations. Each year we celebrate the contributions of individuals and organizations who are making a difference in this arena by hosting the Benjamin Banneker Legacy Awards Gala in Washington, DC. Recipients of this prestigious Award include former Director of the National Science Foundation and President of Morehouse College, Dr. Walter Massey; Surgeon General of the United States Navy Vice Admiral Adam M. Robinson; and former astronaut, Dr. Mae Jamison. Please visit LINK to view the entire list of winners of this prestigious award.
This work has received widespread support. Congressman Chaka Fattah is the primary congressional sponsor of the Banneker Institute. For the past two years, Bill Cosby has served as keynote speaker at the annual Awards Gala. House Majority Whip, Congressman James Clyburn served as Keynote Speaker at the launch of the Network of Networks. Our major corporate sponsors include Northrop Grumman, Exxon Mobil, and Lockheed Martin. We have also received support from such organizations as the Edison Electric Institute, the Nuclear Energy Institute, the American Society of Civil Engineers, NASA, the Office of Naval Research, and Drexel University. Please see LINK for a complete list of our sponsors.
We hope this campaign captures your imagination and inspires you to join with us to create not only a more competitive America, but a more equitable America as well. Your tax deductible gift of $25, $50, $100, $250, or more will help make this vision possible. You may contribute by credit card by clicking the DONATE button to the left, or by check by completing the form provided at the "Donation Form" link below and returning it to us along with your contribution. We have provided some additional links that you might find interesting. They give more information about the work of The Banneker Institute. Please note that The Banneker Institute for Science and Technology is a project of Catalyst (www.catalystdc.org), a 501(c)(3) corporation. Checks and credit card contributions should be made payable to The Banneker Institute c/o Catalyst.
Thank you for your attention. We hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Claudia C. Pharis
President
2007 Awards Gala
Student Showcase
Banneker Sponsors
Banneker Newsletter
Network of Network Press Release
IEEE Article
Donation Form
I am writing to request your support to assist young African Americans who wish to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.
Genius exists in all the nooks and crannies of our society, in all our people, across every imaginable spectrum. The challenges our nation must solve this century if we are to avoid cataclysmic changes in our way of life are daunting — global warming, energy independence, national competitiveness, and health care, just to name a few. We need to tap into all of our sources of creative problem-solving insight if we hope to make real progress in these areas.
Unfortunately, historical biases continue to inhibit our ability to fully exploit all of our resources. Disparities are growing in the United States and these disparities are exacerbated by unequal chances. A major source of growing disparities in this information intensive age is the increasingly powerful truth that an excellent education is a prerequisite to advancement, and African Americans are disproportionately affected by the inadequacies of our system of public education. Improvement has been slow, while at the same time, the global pace of technological advancement has become the stuff of legends. I say to you boldly and without equivocation that our diversity is an integral part of America's greatness, and that it is imperative that in whatever plans we make for our country now and in the future, that we capitalize on that global asset.
The work of the Benjamin Banneker Institute for Science and Technology represents an opportunity to address many of the inequities that have plagued our educational systems since the beginning of the Republic. This Institute was established under a Congressional mandate in 2003 to address the low participation of African Americans in STEM disciplines. Since then we have launched the Decade of Blacks in Science and established a collaborative Network of Networks among Science Membership organizations. Each year we celebrate the contributions of individuals and organizations who are making a difference in this arena by hosting the Benjamin Banneker Legacy Awards Gala in Washington, DC. Recipients of this prestigious Award include former Director of the National Science Foundation and President of Morehouse College, Dr. Walter Massey; Surgeon General of the United States Navy Vice Admiral Adam M. Robinson; and former astronaut, Dr. Mae Jamison. Please visit LINK to view the entire list of winners of this prestigious award.
This work has received widespread support. Congressman Chaka Fattah is the primary congressional sponsor of the Banneker Institute. For the past two years, Bill Cosby has served as keynote speaker at the annual Awards Gala. House Majority Whip, Congressman James Clyburn served as Keynote Speaker at the launch of the Network of Networks. Our major corporate sponsors include Northrop Grumman, Exxon Mobil, and Lockheed Martin. We have also received support from such organizations as the Edison Electric Institute, the Nuclear Energy Institute, the American Society of Civil Engineers, NASA, the Office of Naval Research, and Drexel University. Please see LINK for a complete list of our sponsors.
We hope this campaign captures your imagination and inspires you to join with us to create not only a more competitive America, but a more equitable America as well. Your tax deductible gift of $25, $50, $100, $250, or more will help make this vision possible. You may contribute by credit card by clicking the DONATE button to the left, or by check by completing the form provided at the "Donation Form" link below and returning it to us along with your contribution. We have provided some additional links that you might find interesting. They give more information about the work of The Banneker Institute. Please note that The Banneker Institute for Science and Technology is a project of Catalyst (www.catalystdc.org), a 501(c)(3) corporation. Checks and credit card contributions should be made payable to The Banneker Institute c/o Catalyst.
Thank you for your attention. We hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Claudia C. Pharis
President
2007 Awards Gala
Student Showcase
Banneker Sponsors
Banneker Newsletter
Network of Network Press Release
IEEE Article
Donation Form
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