When Charles Johnson-Bey talks about RISE, he doesn’t start with career milestones or accolades. He talks about community.
That sense of belonging began when he arrived at UD for graduate school after completing his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering at Johns Hopkins University. From fall 1989 until he earned his doctorate in electrical engineering in 1994, he served as the RISE program’s first graduate counselor, mentoring undergraduate RISE students while forming friendships that would shape his life and career.
Today, Johnson-Bey is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, one of the highest professional distinctions in the field. He sees the RISE community not only as foundational to his own journey, but as a lifelong network that continues to open doors for him and his family. That network now spans generations: his two sons and a daughter-in-law are also Fightin’ Blue Hens.
RISE Alumni, Charles Johnson-Bey on campus for I Heart UD Day.
How did being part of RISE influence your sense of community at UD?
RISE became my community. It felt like a family. My actual cousin, Michelle Connor Allen, was in the RISE program when I started. She helped introduce me around when I came to campus. During that time, RISE had strong bonds, and there was a lot of support among both the undergraduate and graduate students. My role as graduate counselor allowed me to form lasting relationships with most of the undergraduates as I mentored and tutored them in fundamental courses such as calculus, circuit design and digital logic. I also had several RISE students, like Terrance Bowman, performing undergraduate research that contributed to portions of my dissertation.
I and my fellow graduate students, including Bill Reynolds, Garfield Simms and Alden Jackson, helped each other through academic challenges like qualifying exams and dissertation defenses. Also, because we were all poor, we shared food when we had it and spent many evenings helping each other keep our cheap cars running! I remember the camaraderie and the way everyone showed up for each other. And it didn’t end when I left UD. Many of the friendships I made through RISE have lasted a lifetime.
How has the RISE community continued to shape your life and career after UD?
My first job after UD was at Motorola in Chicago. I ended up being neighbors with RISE alumnus Bill Reynolds, with whom I had shared an office in Evans Hall at UD. It was beautiful to have that built-in support system as I transitioned into professional life. As my wife and I, both from Baltimore, navigated living far from home, Bill was like our only family in Chicago. This was meaningful for us because he was there for the births of two of my three children.
Over the course of my career, I’ve crossed paths professionally with many RISE alumni. We’ve leaned on each other for advice, collaborated and supported one another through transitions. I could name people all day.
And it doesn’t stop with me. When my oldest son was applying to schools and looking for scholarships, RISE alumnus Wilbert Moultrie helped connect him with resources and funding opportunities. That’s the kind of network RISE creates. I would expect nothing less.
How can current students make the most of their RISE experience?
Network widely, especially amongst yourselves. Your friends are the ones who will grow alongside you and help you through your career and your path.
Also reach out to alumni. If a current student asks a RISE graduate for advice, I have no doubt they will not only get it, but likely get connected to other RISE alums as well. Take full advantage of RISE’s community, mentorship and resources; these relationships often last a lifetime and can open doors you don’t even anticipate.