Joi Harris, president and chief executive officer of DTE Energy knows more than a thing or two about navigating dramatic events that impact hundreds of thousands of lives.
Harris found herself in that situation earlier this month when massive storms, including tornadoes that touched down in Detroit, Lincoln Park and St. Clair County, resulted in power outages for more than 450,000 homes served by DTE Energy.
But in those moments when Michigan’s unpredictable weather presents its greatest challenges to one of the largest utility providers in the United States, Harris is still able to draw strength from lessons she learned growing up from one of Detroit’s most consistent and impactful youth programs. That would be the nonprofit Detroit Area Pre-College
Engineering Program (DAPCEP), which is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
“DAPCEP helped to open my eyes to what was possible for my career as an engineer and a leader,” Harris, a 1988 graduate of Mercy High School said about DAPCEP, a provider of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education to Detroit-area youth from pre-kindergarten through high school. “It gave me exposure, encouragement, and the opportunity to see myself in spaces and careers that I might not otherwise have imagined.
“... My DAPCEP experiences also reinforced the value of putting safety first, always, and working collaboratively to solve complex problems, which we do at DTE Energy. Whether we're responding to severe storms, restoring power for our customers, or tackling other difficult challenges, success depends on bringing people together, learning from one another, and staying focused on the well-being of those we serve. So, I still draw on those DAPCEP lessons every day.”
On the evening of Sept. 18, the DAPCEP lessons taught to Harris and thousands of other program alums since 1976 will be celebrated during a fundraising 50th Anniversary Gala, which will be hosted by Harris, the event’s honorary chairperson, at the DTE Energy Headquarters in Detroit.
The theme of the event is “Ripple Effects,” which shines a light on DAPCEP’s 50-year history of “empowering students, strengthening communities, and creating opportunities for generations to come” across Detroit, Southeast Michigan and beyond.
“I’m most looking forward to celebrating the people who made DAPCEP’s first 50 years so successful — students, parents, teachers, corporate and university partners, volunteers, donors, staff and so many others — who believed in the organization’s mission,” said Harris, DTE Energy’s first female CEO (appointed in 2025), whose journey with DTE began when she was a high school engineering co-op before she was hired as a full-time employee in 1991.
“I’m also looking forward to celebrating the positive ripple effects the program has created across our community. And most importantly, I’m excited to see people inspired to help create the ripple effects of the next 50 years.”
Since its inception, DAPCEP has served more than 150,000 young people and today the program reports having an alumni network of 75,000, who remains committed to DAPCEP’s mission to increase the number of students who are motivated and academically prepared to pursue degrees leading to STEM careers.
“Our 50th anniversary has given us an opportunity to reflect on what has been an amazing experience and to hear so many great success stories from our alums, which will be shared during the Gala,” said DAPCEP Development Director Maria Webb, who pointed out that the organizers of the Gala view it as just the beginning of the celebration because there will be a host of upcoming special events involving today’s DAPCEP students to further commemorate the 50th anniversary.
“It also shows how as the world of STEM has grown, DAPCEP has continued to be innovative.”
A 50-year commitment to preparing Detroit-area youth for STEM careers
What: Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP)
Mission: Since 1976, DAPCEP has been committed to increasing the number of Detroit-area students who are motivated and academically prepared to pursue degrees leading to STEM careers. DAPCEP’s core program models include six-to-eight week courses on Saturdays in the spring and fall; multi-year, cohort model programs; pop-up STEM workshops and STEM Days; signature corporate collaboration programs; college prep courses; and, curated in-school STEM programs.
Upcoming event: On Friday, Sept. 18 DAPCEP’s 50th Anniversary Gala will be held at the DTE Energy Headquarters (located at 1 Energy Plaza in downtown Detroit) from 6-11 p.m. The Gala will bring together DAPCEP alumni from five decades who will share stories about how the program influenced their education, careers and lives. All proceeds from the Gala will be used to fund DAPCEP initiatives supporting Detroit-area students.
Learn more: Please visit https://dapcep.org or visit DAPCEP’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
Scott Talley is a native Detroiter, a proud product of Detroit Public Schools and a lifelong lover of Detroit culture in its diverse forms. In his second tour with the Free Press, which he grew up reading as a child, he is excited and humbled to cover the city’s neighborhoods and the many interesting people who define its various communities. Contact him at stalley@freepress.com. Read more of Scott's stories at www.freep.com/mosaic/detroit-is/. Please help us grow great community-focused journalism by becoming a subscriber.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Why DTE's CEO is thankful for DAPCEP's 50-year support of Detroit kids
