LCCR Chair Bestows Honor on Education Reform Advocate
Feature Story by civilrights.org staff - 5/5/2004
This article is the fourth in a series about 2004's Hubert H. Humphrey Civil Rights Award Dinner. The next installment will feature updates on past honorees.As part of its Hubert H. Humphrey Civil Rights Awards Dinner on May 13, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR), will honor Dr. Irwin Jacobs, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Qualcomm, Inc., with its Dorothy I. Height Chairperson's Award of Special Merit.
The Chairperson's award is named for LCCR's renowned chair, Dr. Height, who has for more than seven decades fought for equal opportunity, and who this year received the Congressional Gold Medal. The award is given periodically in recognition of individuals whose work in business, journalism, or public affairs has made a special contribution to the advancement of civil and human rights.
Dr. Jacobs is being honored in recognition of Qualcomm's commitment to the education reform movement as demonstrated through High Tech High, an innovative and diverse learning community working to prepare students for adult success. Innovative features of High Tech High include performance-based assessment; daily shared planning time for staff; state-of-the-art technical facilities for project-based learning; internships for all students; and close links to the high tech workplace.
Qualcomm has worked to share the model through High Tech High Learning and also has supported the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund's "Realize the Dream" project to inform the nation on the need for public school education reform.
Headed by Dr. Jacobs, the corporation also has demonstrated dedication to LCCR's goals of diversity in the workplace and its support of affirmative action. Qualcomm has developed and implemented comprehensive equal employment opportunity programs that focus on accountability and staffing, self-audit processes, and training of managers. The company also has received the Secretary of Labor's Opportunity Award, which honors federal contractors that establish comprehensive strategies to ensure equal employment opportunity.
From 1959 to 1966, Dr. Jacobs was an assistant/associate professor of electrical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). From 1966 to 1972, he served as a professor of computer science and engineering at the University of California, San Diego. At MIT, Dr. Jacobs co-authored a basic textbook in digital communications entitled "Principles of Communication Engineering." First published in 1965, the book remains in use today. Dr. Jacobs is the recipient of numerous industry, education, and business awards.
The Hubert H. Humphrey Civil Rights Awards Dinner, established 27 years ago, honors the legacy of former United States vice president, senator, and civil rights pioneer Hubert H. Humphrey, whose years of public service, leadership, and dedication to equal opportunity changed the face of America.
