POWERGRAMS

6 Great leaders make a tangible difference – one that can really be seen. That's the view from Dr. Shirley Scott- Harris, director of Alabama Power's Academic Excellence Program (AEP) at Auburn University. For the past four years, Scott-Harris has worked closely with Power Delivery Distribution Manager Pam Boyd, who shares her 22 years of engineering expertise with Auburn students through AEP. A member of AEP's advisory board, Boyd works one-on-one with engineering students; serves as a student advocate; and mentors a female electrical engineering student. Scott-Harris is an admirer of Boyd's perseverance in opening the engineering field to women and minorities. She said Boyd supports professional development initiatives that help minority students studying engineering to be successful in readying for the workforce. Add Boyd's considerable experience in distribution, transmission and generation at Alabama Power and Southern Company, and she "equals a formidable force." "Pam is a great role model," Scott-Harris said. "She's a leader who brings a woman's perspective to engineering. She meets with our young ladies and young men and tells them that they, too, can be successful in engineering. She's real with our students." For Boyd, who earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering at Auburn in 1992, working for and supporting AEP is one way of giving back to her alma mater and the engineering industry, as well as helping to ensure the success of future engineers who may someday work for Alabama Power. "Our mission with the Academic Excellence Program is to help underrepresented students excel in engineering," said Boyd. "This is a great fit for me. I want to give back, and we want Alabama Power to get young engineers who are the best of the best." AEP's role is to help underrepresented students excel in all engineering disciplines. When an opening arose on the Alumni Engineering board, Scott- Harris was a vocal influence behind Boyd's November 2013 appointment. Scott- Harris said Boyd's leadership continues to bring results. Under Boyd's leadership, Scott- Harris said, minority enrollment in the College of Engineering has increased 75 percent: In 2013, Auburn ranked seventh nationally for African-American engineering graduates, according to Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine. "Compare that to a year earlier, when Auburn ranked 26th nationally," Scott- Harris said. Women and minority students face unique difficulties, Scott- Harris said, noting their enrollment is low. Currently, about 900 female undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled in engineering. Auburn aims to raise the numbers. "As a whole, 49 percent of Auburn's student population is female, and 51 percent are male," said Mindy Street, development coordinator for the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering and manager of the 100 Women Strong professional program. "We want to someday see the College of Engineering have enrollment numbers similar to our overall student population. We're working for that change. Pam is so passionate about this." Boyd is among the members of 100 Women Strong, of which Alabama Power is a corporate sponsor. Street said their ultimate goal is to retain students, while performing outreach to recruit middle school and high school students. "Pam is a strong recruiter of students, even opening her home to students and 100 Women Strong for meetings," Street said. Boyd, who was one of few women in her engineering classes, relishes the opportunity to serve as a champion of students. "I love AEP and 100 Women Strong. Our No. 1 mission is to help all students who participate in these programs be successful. Inclusiveness is so important in a male-dominated field. Women mentors are needed. Women need to see other women who are successful in the industry," said Boyd, who hopes her teenage daughter, Brooke, will someday enjoy those advantages. "Sometimes, you need like-minded people to help you achieve your goals," Street said. "Women may think, 'Maybe I'm not cut out for this.' Sometimes, women think if they're not perfect, they can't succeed. That's why we need people like Pam. Females relate to females." Scott-Harris agrees. "Students can have a feeling of aloneness. If there's no one that looks like them, it can be hard." Through AEP and 100 Women Strong, Boyd is helping female and minority engineering students engage in enhanced professional development workshops. The students receive hands-on technical experiences, networking opportunities and one-on-one mentoring, and are encouraged to apply for engineering co-op positions at Alabama Power and Southern Company. The company is on the right track to continue to grow, adapt and prosper, Boyd said, as it embraces diversity. "It's important for us to have a diversity of identity and thought to be a part of the business element," Boyd said. "We're taking those steps by supporting AEP. Alabama Power definitely has a growth mindset." By Donna Cope Boyd aids Auburn University efforts to bring females into engineering pROFilE From left, Scott-Harris, Distribution Engineer T.J. Pruitt, Auburn Cupola Ambassador Katherine Hamlin and Boyd at Alabama Power's interactive recruiting session near Jordan-Hare Stadium.

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