Honeywell celebrated a major milestone Tuesday. The top supporter of engineering schools at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) reached more than 225 million flight hours across its fleet of aircraft engines. Honeywell has been developing propulsion engines for more than 50 years.

“Honeywell’s propulsion engine design and development have led the way in performance, reliability, and efficiency, and we continue to develop technologies and design philosophies to meet the ever-changing needs of our customers,” said Brian Sill, president, Engines and Power Systems, Honeywell Aerospace.

“From military operators and search and rescue teams, to business jet customers including Gulfstream, Embraer, Bombardier, Dassault and Cessna, they can all depend on Honeywell engine performance.”

Hundreds of graduates from HBCUs have worked on Honeywell products and services, which are found in every commercial, defense, and space aircraft.

Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, three-time patent holder H. Bryan Riley held leadership roles at Honeywell.

Riley, who became interested in technology fixing equipment on his family’s Aiken, South Carolina farm, earned both his bachelor and master degrees in electrical engineering from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical (A&T) State University.

Honeywell is still actively recruiting at North Carolina A&T after all these years.

According to a February 2017 Diversity and Engagement Report, candidates from North Carolina A&T were among those who won 2017 summer internship positions.

There are also students from Howard University in the Honeywell minority-serving institution partnership program (MSIPP), the report said.

Honeywell also introduced another full-time intern conversion in the report.

Kevon attended Hampton University, majoring in chemical engineering and nanoscience. While at Hampton, Kevon said a professor told him about Honeywell’s MSIPP program. He applied and was accepted as a scholar and earned internship opportunities. Kevon is now a chemical engineer at Honeywell and is doing an online master’s degree in engineering management at Old Dominion University.

Riley says students must understand that the software-industrial industry uses “engineering concepts and principles that cross disciplines: electrical, mechanical, vehicle dynamics, software, hardware, manufacturing, and validation which implies global opportunities.”

Honeywell turbochargers are used by nearly every automaker and truck manufacturer around the world. Honeywell technologies help everything from aircraft, cars, homes and buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains, and workers become more connected to make our world smarter, safer, and more sustainable.

The software-industrial company delivers aerospace and automotive products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes, and industry; and performance materials globally.

“As aviation expands, Honeywell’s engine technology is improving reliability and efficiency, while reducing environmental impact. The company is testing 3-D printing to create higher performance and lighter-weight components, while also improving development cycle time,” Sill said.

Honeywell is one of the top 400 employers in USBE magazine’s All-Time Top Supporter list for 2017.

USBE magazine’s annual “Top Supporters of HBCUs” list surveys the deans of the 15 ABET-accredited, historically black college and university engineering programs, and the corporate-academic alliance, Advancing Minorities’ Interest in Engineering (AMIE). The survey asks these individuals to list the corporate and government/non-profit organizations that provide the most support to their schools.

As a Top Supporter of HBCU Engineering Award winner and one of the leading software industrial employers, Honeywell strives to meet the following factors: support for building modernization and enhancement, research and mentorship projects, participation on advisory councils, faculty development opportunities, scholarships, student projects, stipends, co-ops, and career opportunities.