GE Aerospace Foundation and University of Cincinnati Celebrate Next Engineers Academy Graduation

Twenty-eight area students graduate from proven STEM program for engineering education and career readiness

April 17, 2026, CINCINNATI - The GE Aerospace Foundation and the University of Cincinnati celebrated the graduation of 28 students from Next Engineers, a career and college readiness program helping increase the number of students pursuing engineering degrees. Students from the program's third Academy cohort celebrated their graduation with family, friends, and GE Aerospace and Next Engineers leaders at the University of Cincinnati's Fifth Third Arena.

"The GE Aerospace Foundation is proud to celebrate the accomplishments of these talented students and support them in their future engineering studies," said GE Aerospace Foundation President Meghan Thurlow. "Five years into this impactful program in Cincinnati, we've been thrilled to see over 100 students graduate in pursuit of a rewarding career in engineering at more than 25 universities across the U.S."

Students who complete the program and enroll in a qualified engineering or engineering-related degree program receive scholarships to support their education toward becoming engineers. Since launching in 2021, the Next Engineers program has reached more than 32,000 students globally and awarded over $3 million in scholarships.

"It has been such a pleasure to see how these graduates have advanced through the Next Engineers program," said Dr. Whitney Gaskins, Associate Dean of Professional Development and Community Impact, University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Science. "The University of Cincinnati is excited to see so many of these students discover their passion for engineering and looks forward to seeing what they will accomplish as they continue to excel in this field."

The Next Engineers: Engineering Academy is a transformative learning experience designed for students aged 15 to 18, teaching engineering concepts, providing career mentors, and awarding scholarships to qualifying student graduates. This program teaches students to think and act like engineers through a rigorous, 180+ hour curriculum, immersive design challenges, and career coaching, students learn to think and act like engineers.

Across the Next Engineers locations worldwide, local educational partners, such as the University of Cincinnati, implement the programming to equip students with the skills needed to build an engineering identity and pursue successful careers in engineering.

Next Engineers also offers the Engineering Discovery program, for students ages 13 to 14, as an introduction to engineering that brings exploratory, hands-on activities into the classroom for younger students.

The Next Engineers program is currently in eight locations worldwide, including Cincinnati, Ohio; Greenville, South Carolina; the New York Capital Region; and the recently announced site in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in the United States, as well as Warsaw (Poland), Bengaluru (India), Staffordshire (UK), and Johannesburg (South Africa).

For more information about Next Engineers and the Engineering Academy, visit NextEngineers.org.

About the GE Aerospace Foundation

The GE Aerospace Foundation, an independent charitable organization funded by GE Aerospace, complements the company's purpose to "lift people up" in communities where employees live and work around the world. The Foundation's philanthropic strategy and programs focus on engineering education, workforce development, and disaster relief. We also support GE Aerospace employees through programs such as Matching Gifts and Star Awards. When GE Aerospace launched as an independent company in 2024, the GE Foundation was relaunched as the GE Aerospace Foundation, commencing a new chapter that builds on the successful, 100+ year legacy of the previous GE Foundation. Learn more at www.geaerospace.com/company/philanthropy.

About GE Aerospace

GE Aerospace is a global aerospace propulsion, services, and systems leader with an installed base of approximately 50,000 commercial and 30,000 military aircraft engines. With a global team of approximately 57,000 employees building on more than a century of innovation and learning, GE Aerospace is committed to inventing the future of flight, lifting people up, and bringing them home safely. Learn more about how GE Aerospace and its partners are defining flight for today, tomorrow, and the future at www.geaerospace.com.