DAPCEP announces The Real McCoy Awardees

July 31, 2012 - PRLog -- The Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program, DAPCEP, proudly announces the honorees of its first annual awards fundraising event, The DAPCEP Real McCoy Awards presented by DTE Energy.

The 36 year-old non-profit organization, which has impacted the lives of more than 150,000 youth with an interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has selected five Michigan-based “Real McCoys” in STEM and medicine fields to be honored at its August 24, 2012 event.

“As Michigan is advancing in STEM and medicine fields, we feel it is appropriate for our organization to recognize current leaders who are innovatively advancing STEM and medicine endeavors,” says Jason Lee, DAPCEP executive director.  “They are living examples to our students.”

The five esteemed DAPCEP Real McCoy honorees are:
Science awardee: LaVetta Appleby, Senior Lecturer Chemistry, Associate Director Master of Science Education Program, Lawrence Technological University

Technology awardee: Christine Rice, President, VisionIT

Engineering awardee: Dr. Levi Thompson, Professor Chemical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan

Mathematics awardee: Ron Wood, Vice President, Underwriting, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

Medicine awardee: Barbara L. Saul, D.O., Senior Staff Physician, Henry Ford Health System Troy Family Medical Center

“We are, also proud to honor our gracious hosting sponsor, DTE Energy with the DAPCEP Real McCoy Corporate Award,” says Lee. “We have known DTE Energy to continually support education, innovation and the development of inspiring leaders.”

DAPCEP students Prayer Mitchell (eighth-grade, Douglass Academy for Young Men – Middle), Frances Grier (eighth-grade, Brewer Academy), and Shelby Tate (eighth-grade, Ivan Ludington Magnet Middle) who produced the winning Metropolitan Detroit Science Fair project will also be recognized.

The DAPCEP Real McCoy Awards presented by DTE Energy, is named after fellow Detroiter Elijah McCoy (1844-1925), a mechanical engineer whose accomplishments and contributions paved the way for today’s leaders in STEM. McCoy invented the lubricator for steam engines, revolutionizing the industrial machine industry.  The term “the real McCoy” refers to the professional demand for his authentic machine lubricating devise. Also an entrepreneur, he was responsible for 57 patents.

The DAPCEP Real McCoy Awards presented by DTE Energy is 5:30 to 9 p.m., Friday, August 24, 2012, at DTE Energy Headquarters, One Energy Plaza in Detroit. To find out more about the event and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.dapcep.org or call (313) 831-3050.

Media wishing to interview DAPCEP representatives or the five awardees should contact Andrea Daniel at (313) 468-2459 or ad@andcommunicationsllc.com

DAPCEP is a Detroit-based non-profit that provides state-of-the-art science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programming to under-represented metropolitan Detroit youth in kindergarten through 12th grades. Along with its corporate and eight Michigan university partners, DAPCEP serves more than 4,000 students each year at no cost to its students.  Ford Motor Company has been a key DAPCEP partner for more than 30 years. Visit the website, www.dapcep.org, for more information.