Trane Technologies donates $5K to support STEM outreach

The University of Hawaii at Mānoa’s Native Hawaiian Science and Engineering Mentorship Program (NHSEMP), housed within the College of Engineering, received a boost from Trane Technologies in the form of a $5,000 donation, a gift made to the program through Trane’s Ingersoll Rand Foundation. Funds will help support NHSEMP’s outreach and recruitment efforts, and will specifically help fund STEM college visits for local students once in-person engagement resumes. 

“We are very excited to partner with Trane to offer opportunities for Oʻahu elementary, middle, and high school students and their teachers to visit our UH Mānoa campus and learn about the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM),” said NHSEMP Director Kelli Ching. “The Native Hawaiian Science & Engineering Mentorship Program at UH Mānoa, College of Engineering is honored to be an Ingersoll Rand Foundation grant recipient and the funding provided will allow us to increase awareness of the STEM fields and promote college opportunities through interactive activities, campus and laboratory tours, and student service resource talks.”

RJ Ritter, the local Area General Manager for Trane Technologies, also sees the partnership as a great fit, and one that is in alignment with the company’s strategic vision. “Trane Technologies’ stated purpose is to ‘Boldly challenge what’s possible for a sustainable world,’ said Ritter.  One of the three key components of our 2030 strategy is to uplift our people, culture and communities, specifically focusing STEM education and economic mobility in our communities. 

“It was a natural fit to invest in the Native Hawaiian Science and Engineering Mentorship Program with the goal of helping local students achieve their goal of an engineering degree.  As a 1991 graduate of UH Engineering myself it is personally gratifying to be able to participate on behalf of Trane.”

About the Native Hawaiian Science and Engineering Mentorship Program:

Established in 2002, the Native Hawaiian Science & Engineering Mentorship Program (NHSEMP) began as a joint initiative between the UH Mānoa College of Engineering and Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies. NHSEMP provides assistance, opportunities, and community for Native Hawaiian students to excel in STEM fields, working with over 100 STEM and Secondary Education students annually.

About Trane Technologies:

Trane Technologies is a global climate innovator. Through our strategic brands Trane and Thermo King, and our environmentally responsible portfolio of products and services, we bring efficient and sustainable climate solutions to buildings, homes and transportation.