HENAAC was established in 1989 as a means of identifying, honoring, and documenting the contributions of outstanding Hispanic American science, engineering, technology and math professionals. Corporations, government agencies, academic institutions, the military, and the business community-at-large have submitted thousands of nominees over the last 19 years for this very prestigious recognition.
The HENAAC acronym stood for the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Conference. This important conference set the precedent for excellence in engineering and science and was run out of Baltimore, Maryland under Career Communications Group.
In 1996 HENAAC became a 501(c) 3 educational programs non-profit organization, under the leadership of the founder and current Chairman, Ray Mellado. This new classification allowed HENAAC to develop additional educational programs beyond the conference. In 2000, HENAAC introduced the College Bowl, an innovative, competitive two-day workshop for college students preparing to enter engineering careers. In 2001, HENAAC launched Viva Technology, our K-12 educational program designed to introduce pre-college students to the exciting careers in science, engineering and technology. This same year, our organization launched its Scholars program, providing scholarships to college students pursuing engineering and science careers. Since then, HENAAC has awarded over $919,000 in scholarships to college students from across the country. In addition to these programs HENAAC puts on a yearly National Career Conference and Awards Show, provides Travel grants to college students, conducts Research and has a Hispanic Hall of Fame exhibit.
The HENAAC Board of Directors voted in 2005 to drop the use of the acronym and changed the official name and tag line to “HENAAC, Promoting Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math”
Assisting HENAAC to expand its mission to encompass a wider scope of services are the distinguished members of its board of directors and executive committees, many of whom are captains of industry and recognized authorities in their field. Over the last decade HENAAC has intensified its focus on researching, developing and implementing successful and nationally acclaimed technology-related educational programs. The effectiveness of HENAAC programs has helped forge long-lasting partnerships with world-renown universities, with national and international corporations and government agencies.
Quick HENAAC Facts
- A presence in over 40 states through HENAAC STEM programs, scholarships, travel grants, award winners, and outreach
- 20 National HENAAC Conferences and Award Shows with a combined total of over 38,500 professional and student participants active in STEM
- Pre-College program initiated in 1990 that has grown into the HENAAC Viva Technology Program which has directly impacted over 50,000 students, teachers, and families, since 2001
- The Viva Technology Program has been implemented in 13 states since 2001.
- Establishment of HENAAC’s Scholars Program in 2000 and have distributed more than $1,074,000 in educational grants to over 590 STEM students and over $810,000 in travel grants to thousands of STEM students.
- Engagement of students from 90 colleges and universities in various HENAAC programs and events
- Recognition of 607 Hispanic Professionals, executives and student leaders with a prestigious HENAAC award
- Instituted the annual HENAAC College Bowl in 2000 in which over 3,100 STEM college students and professionals have competed
- Researched and distributed the Hispanic engineering enrollment in 352 universities across the country in 2005 & 2007
- Created the HENAAC website, which has been visited by over 41.1 million users since 2001
- Published reports such as The Fork in the Road and the 2006 and 2007 HENAAC Executive Leaders’ Roundtable White Papers on the Complexity of Alignment
