Rocky Hill, CT – The Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE) will present Honorary Membership to Glenn Cassis, Executive Director of the African-American Affairs Commission, at its Annual Meeting and Dinner, May 31, at the University of Connecticut’s Rome Ballroom in Storrs. The CASE Governing Council created the category of Honorary Membership to recognize an individual not otherwise eligible for membership. The Council nominates, and selects by vote, the recipients of this honor.

Cassis is recognized for his more than 20 years of service as the Executive Director of the Connecticut PreEngineering Program (CPEP) and for his support and stewardship of education programs as Executive Director of the African-American Affairs Commission (AAAC). CPEP is a non-profit educational program that encourages underrepresented minority and female middle and high school students to pursue careers in science, technology, mathematics and engineering. Under Cassis’ leadership, CPEP expanded from a single school district serving 43 students to 12 urban school districts serving more than 9,000 students. Through grants and proposals, he was responsible for increasing the annual budget from $20,000 to $1.4 million.

AAAC’s mission is to improve and promote the economic development, education, health, and political well being of the African-American community in Connecticut through advocacy, information sharing, cultural awareness, community networking and influencing legislation. Since becoming Executive Director of AAAC, Cassis has remained active in STEM initiatives including serving on the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Academy for Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology until June 2011, as well as testifying before the General Assembly on STEM education issues. Additionally, he has led and coordinated KnowHowToGo and College Goal Sunday, two statewide college preparation initiatives targeting first generation students.