NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service)– For years, the high-octane world of motorsports and advanced automotive engineering has remained largely male-dominated, but a landmark collaboration at Tennessee State University is changing that to open doors for the next generation of female engineers.
TSU’s College of Engineering, in partnership with the STEAM Sports Foundation, hosted the 2026 Women in Automotive and Motorsports (WAM) Career Summit from Sept. 24–26 on the university’s main campus. The event brought together students, industry executives, and aspiring engineers from institutions across the country, including Purdue University, Georgia Tech, Kettering University, and the University of Texas at San Antonio.
What began as a conversation between Dr. Charles McCurry, associate dean of the TSU College of Engineering, and Bob Dickinson, CEO and founder of the STEAM Sports Foundation, quickly materialized into an industry-backed movement. Supported by companies like Cummins, Bristol Motor Speedway, Honda, Nashville Superspeedway, and HBCU GO, the summit focused on the barriers in an industry where entry has traditionally depended on legacy connections and early access.
“I founded the STEAM Sports Foundation to help underserved communities see the opportunities available in motorsports and the automotive industry,” Dickinson said. “As we looked at the industry, we saw a significant void. It remains largely male-dominated, with too few women, minorities, and especially women of color pursuing engineering careers. We decided to address that gap directly by creating scholarships for students who need an opportunity to get their foot in the door.”
Over three days, participants discussed topics such as “Entry Paths to an Automotive Career,” “Breaking Barriers,” and “Your Next Move.” Featured speakers represented major motorsports entities, including IMSA, NASCAR, INDYCAR, the Music City Grand Prix, and Nashville Superspeedway. The event also included an interactive Engineering Career Fair.
For TSU students, the summit provided a clear line of sight into an industry that once felt out of reach. De’Vyne Wills, a junior architectural engineering major from Indianapolis, Indiana, and a STEAM Sports Foundation scholarship recipient, spoke on a panel highlighting her unexpected path into racing.
Her introduction to motorsports began in high school with NXG Youth Motorsports, an organization exposing underrepresented youth to racing careers. That initial spark led directly to an IndyCar internship, where she mastered technical operations, including timing and scoring.
“It was just sparked into my life,” Wills said. “I’m not one of the people that’s a mechanical engineer and initially wanted to go into motorsports. It just kind of evolved.”
Wills emphasized that building genuine equity requires tackling both gender and racial gaps simultaneously. “Some of the drivers, their dad owns the company, so they drive for them,” she noted. “And it’s like, well, how am I supposed to get into that type of thing?” Programs like NXG and the WAM Summit help answer that question by offering early technical exposure and professional mentorship.
That theme of belonging resonated deeply in the Day Two keynote, “Built for More,” delivered by TSU alumna April Guest, director of Continuous Improvement and Operational Excellence at Cummins. Recalling how a TSU Presidential Scholarship changed her life over two decades ago, Guest urged students to lean into their curiosity.
“TSU saw me when I didn’t see myself,” Guest said. “You belong in the room. You might be the ‘only,’ but because you’re there, you’re supposed to be there.”
Following a closing keynote by veteran automotive executive Angela Henderson, Dr. Lin Li, dean of the College of Engineering, reiterated the summit’s mission to equip women with the confidence, technical knowledge, and networks needed to excel.
TSU leaders plan to make the WAM Career Summit an annual staple.
“Access creates opportunity,” McCurry said. “Diversity drives creativity and innovation, and our engineering students have demonstrated that they can excel. Our goal is to expand industry participation, increase visibility, and ultimately create scholarship opportunities for more young women.”
Featured Photo: De’Vyne Willis, a TSU junior architectural engineering student and motorsports enthusiast, speaks on a panel, “Scholarships, Internships, Immersion Tours Opportunities,” during the motorsports summit. Other panelists are, l-r, Andrear Turner, moderator, Nissan; Fatou Tunkara, Georgia Tech; Wills; and Kimberly Betty, Kettering/Oakland/Lear. (photo by PR & Communications)
About Tennessee State University
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public land-grant university offering 41 bachelor’s degrees, 15 graduate certificates, 27 master’s degrees, and nine doctoral degrees. TSU’s campus spans 500 acres. The university is committed to academic excellence, providing students with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders. Visit tnstate.edu for more details.
