NEWARK, Del., April 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Institute for Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) announced 17 students selected for their 2021 NIIMBL eXperience Program. The NIIMBL eXperience is offered to African American/Black, Latinx, and Native American college freshman and sophomores students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and NIIMBL member institutions and provides real-world insight into career options in the growing biopharmaceutical industry.

"This year we are happy to welcome a group of students from schools ranging from Morehouse College to MIT. Each cohort is extremely unique. The students come from different backgrounds and majors, however being able to inform them of the endless opportunities in the biopharmaceutical industry significantly broadens their scope of possibilities for their field of study," says Kathie Young, Workforce Coordinator, NIIMBL.

During the 2-week virtual program held from June 14-25, 2021, students will learn about the operations of large biomanufacturers, cutting-edge technologies of small companies, training and education paths from academic institutions, and how the federal government plays a role in bringing life-saving treatments to patients. The program launched in the summer of 2019 and has offered this unique glimpse into the biopharmaceutical industry to over 35 students.

"A key part of NIIMBL's evolving workforce development strategy focuses on ensuring that the biopharmaceutical manufacturing ecosystem has access to an increasingly diverse and robust supply of talent," shared John Balchunas, Workforce Director, NIIMBL. Balchunas adds, "I am excited that our eXperience program is able to help get us closer to diversifying the workplace by opening the door of possibilities into the biopharma industry for college students." 

2021 NIIMBL eXperience Cohort
Chiamaka Akparu, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Nia Allen, Clemson University
Jamelia  Ancel, Mississippi Valley State University
Charles Coleman, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Kingsolomon Ehinola, Talladega
Maria Esteller, Texas A&M University
Ashley-Kaye Fonkeng, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania
Rithu Latha Rajendran, Morehouse College
Sydney McCoy, Texas A&M University
Uchechi Nworah, University of the District of Columbia
Divine Ogugua, Delaware State University
Jhanjaneth Perea, University of Delaware
Isabella Salinas, Edward Waters College
Jada Smith, University of Georgia
Tamia Sumter, University of Georgia
Brittney Thompson, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Lauren Weaver, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

To learn more about the NIIMBL eXperience, visit NIIMBL.org

About NIIMBL
The National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) is a public-private partnership whose mission is to accelerate biopharmaceutical innovation, support the development of standards that enable more efficient and rapid manufacturing capabilities, and educate and train a world-leading biopharmaceutical manufacturing workforce, fundamentally advancing U.S. competitiveness in this industry. NIIMBL is part of Manufacturing USA®, a diverse network of federally-sponsored manufacturing innovation institutes, and is funded through a cooperative agreement with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the U.S. Department of Commerce with significant additional support from its members.

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SOURCE National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL)