Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Environmental Observation and Prediction, Deputy Administrator and Acting Chief Scientist welcomed NOAA employees to the agency's 2012 Black History Month Commemoration. Celebrating the African American women who have helped NOAA become the agency it is today, Dr. Sullivan emphasized that NOAA is committed to increasing minority representation in sciences. At the undergraduate and graduate level, the Educational Partnership Program (EPP) has supported some 2500 college students—of whom 23% are African American women—as they obtain their degrees in NOAA-relevant fields. She cited EPP-funded support of students studying and doing applied research in NOAA-critical fields, as well as our collaborative efforts between Minority Serving Institutions and NOAA programs.

NOAA Hollings Scholar Julie Simon and NOAA EPP Undergraduate Scholar Carlos Reyes-DeJongh with Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez and NOAA Administrator VADM Conrad Lautenbacher at the 2007 NOAA Fish Fry.

Howard University (GSP) graduation 2007.

First class of re-established Graduate Sciences Program under Robert Mallet, Dep. Secretary of DOC and Scott Gudes, Deputy under Secretary, NOAA with class members and Ivy Washington, NOAA Training Officer and the late Connie Zarbo, Co-Program Manager (2000), GSP. Photo Description (L-R Back): Miguel Torres, Nicole Kurkowski, Martha Herzog, NOAA Training Officer, Michelle Web, Kenneth Pryor, (L-R Front) Ivy Washington, late Connie Zarbo, and Scott Gudes.