The Goizueta Foundation, a private organization renowned for supporting academic institutions that empower and improve people’s lives, has awarded Yale a $1.915 million grant to advance science and engineering education. The money will support the continued success of the Science, Technology, and Research Scholars (STARS) program for undergraduates at Yale College and establish the Advanced Graduate Leadership Program at the School of Engineering & Applied Science (SEAS).
With a long history of aiding Yale, The Goizueta Foundation has in the past granted the university money to endow senior faculty chairs and establish a scholarship fund. The organization’s founder, Roberto C. Goizueta ’53, was a Cuban refugee who graduated from Yale College with a degree in chemical engineering. He served as Chief Executive Officer of the Coca-Cola Company for sixteen years, during which he established The Goizueta Foundation.
The Goizueta grant will aid the SEAS Advanced Graduate Research Program, which began in the 2009-2010 academic year. In the program, competitively selected doctoral students will pursue unique opportunities offered in specific tracks, including business, industry, academia, and public policy. Kyle Vanderlick, Dean of SEAS, describes that the program will provide “a select number of graduates a leg up when they enter the job market.”
Furthermore, the grant will contribute to the STARS program, which provides undergraduates with organized study groups, mentorships, and involvement in faculty-guided research. A program that focuses on improving scientific involvement for traditionally disadvantaged groups, STARS will be able to accommodate a greater number of students with The Goizueta Foundation’s support.
For both Yale College and SEAS, this award will fulfill the Goizueta mission by empowering students with a greater scientific and engineering education and thereby improving the quality of their lives.