IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine - December 2013 - 42

the years, being what her mom refers
a charter member and the chair for
to as a "legacy Bulldog." Sure enough,
the newly formed A AMU IEEE WIE
when it came time for Rainy to attend
Student Branch Affinity Group. She
college, she attended Senior Day at AAMU
began work as an electronics engineer
and was ready to move in right away.
for Warner Robbins Air Force Base
Being that Rainy is so much
in June 2013 and plans to
like her mother, it was
cont inue to pa r t iciThe
no surprise when she
pate in the IEEE as a
WIE Interest
chose computer sciGradutes of the Last
Meeting was held
ence as a major, the
Decade member.
to introduce the IEEE
same field that her
When Malone
WIE program to AAMU
mother majored in
was asked what
to encourage students
at AAMU. Paulette
she liked about the
wa s proud a nd
WIE presentation,
(primarily females)
honored to help the
she responded, "I
interested in the
students at A AMU
loved how it showed
engineering field
form their WIE group.
wom en en g ine er s
as a career.
"WIE is best thing for
from all over and all
AAMU, and AAMU is a good
the different companies. It
place for WIE to call home," Paumakes you feel like you're not
lette says.
as limited as you thought. I think it's
One of the reasons that Rainy chose
important for women to know that they
AAMU to complete her undergraduate
can do it too." Malone was also asked
study program is because the university
what she felt about being a charter memhas a great engineering program. Most
ber and chair of the AAMU WIE group. "I
importantly, she chose AAMU because
think it's a very well-rounded organizaof the history of the school and for the
tion, and I'm proud to say I'm a part of it.
historically black college and univerI feel like I helped start something big. I
sity experience. When asked how she
feel kind of important, and it makes me
felt about about AAMU as a university,
proud to know I helped bring this to our
Rainy stated, "I feel that AAMU is the
school. It felt good having a person who
greatest school; to be a bulldog and walk
was an alumnus come to our university
on the campus that so many Africanand speak with us about WIE because
Americans fought for before me is truly
it made us feel more comfortable. It felt
an honor. I like AAMU's history because
like we weren't talking with a guest,
it is truly remarkable. For a born slave
we were talking with family." Malone
to come back and build an institute
admits to choosing AAMU for her underfor blacks to be educated, on the same
graduate study program because of acaland he was sold on, is amazing. I am so
demic scholarships and, as a plus, she
grateful that William Hooper Council
has a cousin that went to AAMU and all
cared so much that he was able to make
she heard growing up was AAMU so-
this great university."
"Go Bulldogs!"
Rainy was also asked what inspires
her about being an AAMU student, and
A History of Inspiration
replied, "What inspires me about being
Rainy January is all too familiar with the
an AAMU student is the history of AAMU
past and present of AAMU. Paulette Januand the product of an AAMU graduary, IEEE Women in Engineering Newsate. The history warms my heart and
letter editor, who is also Rainy's mother
the graduates of AAMU are people who
and an alumna of AAMU, helped the stureally make a mark in this world." When
dents form the AAMU WIE student group
Rainy has kids she plans to send them to
in March 2013. Rainy is a charter memAAMU because she indicates that it gives
ber of the newly formed AAMU IEEE WIE
you an experience like no other.
group. Rainy has heard about AAMU all
Rainy aspires to be a software engiof her life and attended several Magic
neer for NASA. She loves everything
City Classic events with her mother over

IEEE women in engineering magazine

DeCEMBER 2013

about technology and how it's constantly evolving. She states, "You can
put a computer in your hands and do so
many things. Computers, programming,
and anything technological captures my
imagination."
Rainy is also a charter member of
the AAMU WIE group and will serve
as the 2013-2014 AAMU IEEE Student
Section president and AAMU IEEE WIE
Student Branch Affinity Group chair.
Following the WIE Interest Meeting,
Rainy was asked what she thought of
the IEEE WIE program in general since
the presentation at the university. She
responded, "Since the presentation...I
think, in general, that everyone in the
technological field should join IEEE
because engineers, computer professionals, mathematicians, and scientists are
the people that are constantly changing
and evolving the world."

They say Seven is a Lucky Number
They say the number seven is a lucky
number and such is the case for meeting
the petition requirements to form the
AAMU IEEE WIE Student Branch Affinity Group. The charter group consists
of seven WIE members including Alxavier Peebles, electrical engineer, who
came forward to join indicating that he
thought that WIE was a very good program. Peebles, a recent AAMU electrical engineering graduate, attended the
WIE Interest Meeting and showed great
interest in the program. Support for
WIE programs and initiatives is greatly
appreciated.
The AAMU IEEE WIE group is off to a
great start with members who are intellectual, diverse, dynamic, creative, and
persevering. Paulette January could not
be more proud and honored to assist the
students and faculty in establishing the
AAMU WIE group. The group will bond
together, achieve great things, have fun,
and make friendships through shared interests and collaboration that will last a
lifetime. After all, that's how it is on "The
Hill," and WIE on "The Hill" will achieve
great things.
-Paulette January and
Rainy January

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine - December 2013