Benedict College is now the first South Carolina HBCU to offer an accredited environmental engineering program.
The Environmental Engineering Program at Benedict College received its initial accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), the national organization that accredits undergraduate programs in engineering, engineering technology, and computer science.
Clemson University is the only other institution in South Carolina with an accredited Environmental Engineering program. Now Benedict makes history as the first HBCU with an accredited program of its kind. Since the program debuted in 2012, it has more than doubled its enrollment, showing the growing demand for the major.
“ABET accreditation is the recognized seal of approval that validates that our environmental engineering program meets the highest standards and positions our graduates to pursue careers as licensed engineers and representing the BEST of BC!” said Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis, President, and CEO of Benedict College.
The university says that the 2022 graduating class had a 100% hiring rate. The environmental engineering program prepares students for careers in water and wastewater treatment, solid waste management, remediation in polluted sites, and air quality engineering.
“I commend our talented and hard-working faculty who have demonstrated commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and service,” said Dr. Janeen P. Witty, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Benedict College.
“ABET accreditation is a game-changing for Benedict’s Environmental Engineering program, in terms of recruiting and the opportunities available to our students after they graduate.”
– Dr. Jessica Furrer, Program Head and ABET Coordinator.
“Earning a bachelor’s degree from an accredited program will allow our students to take the Fundamentals of Engineering exam immediately after graduation and ultimately pursue professional licensure, which is critical for design engineers in this field. Employers look for students to have an ABET- accredited degree because it gives them confidence that they are well-prepared for a career in environmental engineering” said Furrer.
