Kenneth Hill

Kenneth Hill

President & CEO

Kenneth Hill, originally from Chicago, Illinois resided in Detroit for over 40 years. He returned to Chicago in 2006. He is a graduate of Howard University with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and Wayne State University with a Master of Arts in Mathematics Education. Hill worked at MichCon and taught in the Detroit Public School System prior to moving to the Republic of Zambia in Central Africa where he taught calculus and physics to African high school students. Upon his return to Detroit, he developed a nationally renowned program known as DAPCEP (Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program). Mr. Hill is proud of the fact that 70% of students graduate from college in the fields of math and science. In 1976, DAPCEP began with 245 students and now has an enrollment of over 6000.  The mission is to increase the number of underrepresented African American, Latino American and Native American students who are motivated and prepared to pursue careers in science, mathematics, and engineering.  DAPCEP provides instructional and motivational activities to youngsters throughout the school year, on Saturdays and during the summer.  Hill led the development the DAPCEP curriculum and put into place an effective teacher-training component. DAPCEP students continue to win gold ribbon awards in the Metropolitan Detroit Science and Engineering Fair with 44% of the winners in 2003 compared to 10% in 1977. DAPCEP is recognized by the American Council of Education, the Educational Testing Service, the U.S. Department of Education, and the National Society of Black Engineers as one the most outstanding pre-college programs in the country. Hill was the recipient of the 1990 NAACP Distinguished Service Award, the 1993 Distinguished Service Award from the Detroit Public Schools, the Community Service Award from the DAPCEP Parent Advisory Committee, and 1995 ”Best Managed Non-Profit” from Crain’s Detroit’s Business. He was selected Michiganian of the Year in 1999.  In 2000, Hill was the recipient of the William L. Dawson award from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (Washington D.C.).  Also, in 2000 DAPCEP completed a $7 million dollar Growth Campaign for the K-12 program. In 2002, he received the community service from the Ford African Ancestry Network, and in 2004 he received the Jaramogi Abebe Agyeman Award from the Black Slate, Eastside Slate, and the Community Coalition. Since 2008, Hill has been the President & CEO of the Chicago Pre-College Science and Engineering Program, Inc. (ChiS&E), which he founded  in 2008. ChiS&E  is based on the Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program model.  It serves close to 400 K – 8 students from more than 40 Chicago schools. With initial support from Chase Bank Foundation and the National Science Foundation. ChiS&E began serving students in first grade in 2009, added grade K the following spring, and has added a grade each year.  ChiS&E’s mission is to increase the number of historically underrepresented minority students (African American and Latino) who are motivated and academically prepared to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics related careers.