By Aleena Oakley and Gabbie Ulloa-Rodrigues 

In April, nine students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities across North Carolina and South Carolina gathered for the HBCU Energy Leadership Pathway Energy Summit, a collaboration between E4 Carolinas and SEI’s Energize Colleges program. Designed to build a more innovative and equitable energy workforce, the Pathway introduces students to industry careers through hands-on learning, mentorship, and professional development. 
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Working in teams, participants representing Livingstone College, Claflin University, North Carolina A&T State University, Johnson C. Smith University, North Carolina Central University, and Shaw University tackled a complex problem: reducing greenhouse gas emissions in a city’s transportation sector. Students examined who is most impacted, explored environmental justice impacts, and built solutions grounded in both analysis and lived realities. They presented before a panel of judges, sharing bold, actionable ideas for a more sustainable future.

By Isaí Rae