benedict college president roslyn clark artis
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OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

Department of Energy Names Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis An Equity in Energy Ambassador

Leaders back diversity and access for all in the energy sector

Columbia, SC- (August 27, 2020) – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the first slate of Equity in Energy Ambassadors and Champions, a key feature of the agency’s push for an energy economy for everyone.

The Ambassadors are high-profile individuals from academia, energy companies, and community organizations, who will be sharing updates about Equity in Energy with their networks, attending Equity in Energy events, and speaking out about the importance of diversity in energy. Champions are U.S. Department of Energy leaders who are tasked with evaluating their portfolios to ensure every possible measure is being taken for outreach, support, and full accessibility for all.

“I am honored to have been selected to serve alongside a diverse team of professionals from across the country,” said Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis, President and CEO. “I look forward to representing Benedict College and the broader Historically Black College/University (HBCU) sector as we work collaboratively to ensure equitable opportunities for our students and graduates within the energy sector.  I am fully committed to the training and development of diverse talent to meet the growing workforce demands of the critical energy economy.”

The Office of Economic Impact and Diversity developed the Equity in Energy initiative to expand minorities, women, veteran, and formerly incarcerated persons participation rate in energy jobs, energy procurements, and energy accessibility. In these commonly underserved communities, links are often missing to information about engaging in the energy economy and resources to get affordable access to energy.

“We are a world energy leader, and we must include and expand the participation of underserved communities across the energy landscape,” said Secretary Dan Brouillette. “Equity in Energy’s Ambassadors and Champions can open the door to a future that is filled with opportunity and promise.”

 “America’s energy landscape is continuing to change, and so is its demographic makeup,” said James Campos, Director of the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity. “Our Ambassadors and Champions know that a diverse approach is critical to success, and the demand for energy workers will be challenging to meet if the workforce does not reflect the diversity of the population.”

Selections of the Ambassadors and Champions were made by the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity for two-year terms. Ambassadors represent a broad cohort of the energy sector and communities that the Equity in Energy Initiative seeks to reach, and work in fields connected to the Initiative’s focal areas of STEM enhancement, technical assistance, supplier diversity, energy affordability, and workforce development.

Equity in Energy Ambassadors

Dr. Roslyn Artis, President, Benedict College

Julian Canete, Chairman, California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce

Gary ‘Litefoot’ Davis, Executive Director, Native American Financial Services Association

Emily M. Dickens, J.D. Corporate Secretary, Chief of Staff, and Head, Government Affairs, Society for Human Resource Management

Thomas Dortch, Chairman, 100 Black Men of America

Dr. Antonio R. Flores, President, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities

Robert W. Gee, President & Board Member, Asian Americans in Energy, the Environment and Commerce

Dr. Pandwe Gibson, President and Founder, EcoTech Visions

Michelle L. Holiday, President, Michelle Holiday & Associates

Abigail Ross Hopper, President and CEO, Solar Energy Industries Association

Bill Koetzle, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, American Petroleum Institute

Anthony Livanios, Founder, U.S. Energy Stream

Janette Marx, CEO, Airswift

Katie Mehnert, CEO, Pink Petro and Experience Energy

José Pérez, President & CEO, Hispanics in Energy

Gil C. Quiniones, President and CEO, New York Power Authority

Tony F. Sanchez III, Executive Vice President, Business Development and External Relations, NV Energy

Michael Treviño, Principal, Treviño & Company

Brian L. Wolff, Executive Vice President, Public Policy and External Affairs, Edison Electric Institute

Andrea Korney, Vice President of Sustainability, Frostbyte Consulting

Equity in Energy Champions

Nick Andersen, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Security and Energy Restoration, Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response

Dr. Rita Baranwal, Assistant Secretary, Office of Nuclear Energy

Dr. Chris Fall, Director, Office of Science

Kevin R. Frost, Director, Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs

Cheryl Ingstad, Director, Office of Artificial Intelligence

Conner Prochaska, Chief Commercialization Officer, Office of Technology Transitions

Daniel R. Simmons, Assistant Secretary, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Charles R. Smith, Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization

Steven Winberg, Assistant Secretary, Office of Fossil Energy

Additional information about the Equity in Energy initiative can be found at energy.gov/diversity.

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About Benedict College

Founded in 1870 by a woman, Bathsheba A. Benedict, Benedict College is a private co-educational liberal arts institution with over 2,100 students enrolled in its 25 baccalaureate degree programs. Defying trends, Benedict College maintains an equal male and female student population. This Midlands HBCU welcomes students from all 46 counties in South Carolina, 30 states across America, and 26 countries around the world. 

 

Benedict offers several high-demand fields of study in STEM, Cyber Security, Mass Communication, Sport Management, Business Administration, Engineering, Computer Science, Biology, and Education. The College also has a diverse faculty of which 80 percent are full-time, and 60 percent hold doctorates or the equivalent. 

 

Over the past ten years, three out of five Benedict College graduates have attended professional or graduate schools. There are over 17,000 proud Benedict Tigers throughout the nation. Benedict College has been a community leader for over 150-years and is a significant contributor to South Carolina and the region. Contributing $130 million and 1,218 jobs in total local and annual economic impact, a Benedict graduate working full-time throughout his or her working life can expect to earn $1.1 million in additional income because of their Benedict College degree. 

 

The College made front-page news in the spring of 2018 when it became the first South Carolina college to lower its tuition by 26 percent. Cutting tuition drew praise from the Commission on Higher Education, South Carolina’s education oversight body. The commissioner noted that the move Benedict College made should be applauded because it offers families affordability and students greater access to higher education. 

 

Benedict College has been highly regarded and exceptionally ranked for its programs by several academic and traditional publications.  For example, Benedict College was ranked as one of the top baccalaureate colleges in the nation by Washington Monthly magazine for creating social mobility and producing cutting-edge scholarship and research.  In 2019, Benedict College received the 2019 ACE/ Fidelity Investments Awards for Institutional Transformation and was named the HBCU of the Year by HBCU Digest

Benedict College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate and masters degrees. Five of the College’s degree programs hold national accreditation: The School of Education, Social Work, Environmental Health Science, Arts and Sciences and the Tyrone Adam Burroughs School of Business and Entrepreneurship. 

 

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