Marachel Knight, working in a computer lab, overhears a student talking about Southwestern Bell (now AT&T) planning to make a new hire who, instead of working, can attend Carnegie Mellon’s Information Networking Institute (INI). Getting paid to study—tuition free no less—sounded too good to be true. Why? she wondered. Perhaps because INI provides graduate degree programs that fuse education in technology, economics, and network policy, exactly what a growing telecommunications company would want from its employees.

Knight applies for the job. A successful interview process and 14 months of education later, she earns her MS in information networking in 1996.

Education in hand, she returns to the company. Since then, she has been awarded a patent on a system that allows a single cell phone to accommodate multiple numbers and plans, making it possible for people to have one device act as both their personal and work phones. She has also led the installation of a $10 million antenna system in New Orleans. The system provides the power of 200 traditional cell towers and is the largest system of its kind in the world.

Knight remains at AT&T today and also volunteers her time with the INI alumni leadership council. What started as an overheard conversation has culminated in Knight receiving the 2013 Black Engineer of the Year President’s Award.

Sponsored by a variety of companies and universities, the award recognizes African Americans who have advanced both their careers and the field of engineering.
—Paul Carboni (DC’13)

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INI Alumna Earns Black Engineer of the Year Award