Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) has memorandum of understanding (MOU) agreements supporting multiple colleges throughout the region and now -- two more -- Paine College in Augusta, Georgia, and The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina.

“SRNS strives to build strong relationships with HBCUs in our immediate geographic area. So far, we have MOUs with all eight Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in South Carolina,” said Anitra McManus, SRNS Workforce Services. “Paine College, in Augusta, Georgia, will be number nine. A monetary donation and exposure to internship opportunities, in addition to professional development opportunities, will be provided to both Paine College and The Citadel, a South Carolina military college. The opportunities offered to each school include training related to resume writing and job interviews, plus advice on personal branding designed to help them advance their careers. And, in time, we hope they will join our workforce at the Savannah River Site (SRS).” According to McManus, the academic programs featured at both colleges will be targeted for specific internship opportunities at SRNS. This objective includes, but is not limited to, Project Controls internships for students at Paine College due to their strong accounting curriculum, whereas the focus for students studying STEM-based degrees at The Citadel is on Engineering and Supply Chain Management.

“We have all this talent in our backyard,” said McManus. “We want to get them here to experience the Site as interns, which may lead to a career with us.” Since the inception of the SRNS partnership with local HBCUs, SRNS has hired 46 South Carolina HBCU graduates and hosted 14 interns. “The Citadel produces principled leaders for service to our Nation and its communities,” said General Glenn Walters, USMC (Retired), President, The Citadel. “In the globalized economy, STEM, supply chain and cybersecurity graduates with real-world experience are critical. We look forward to our partnership with SRNS in training the next generation of professionals in these key fields, while perhaps enhancing the SRNS workforce. It’s a win-win proposition for each organization.”