Alumni Excellence Awards: EnTerpneur Award Recipent Summer Bazemore MS ’02

The statistics tell the story: Women make up just 14% of engineers in the United States, with women of color accounting for less than a quarter of that total, according to the Society of Women Engineers.

Summer Bazemore MS ’02 is bucking the trend.

A systems engineer by training, Bazemore in 2014 launched SB Engineering Solutions, LLC (to become Ey3 Technologies in 2020), a systems engineering and cybersecurity consulting firm based in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Systems engineering is a multidisciplinary approach to designing, integrating and maintaining complex systems, such as an organization’s software network.

“Businesses need folks who are going to do penetration testing, cybersecurity engineers who can determine where there are vulnerabilities,” says Bazemore, who previously attained certified ethical hacker credentials. “Technology continues to evolve, so figuring out how to resolve issues that are coming is the forefront of what we do.”

Ey3 holds subcontracts with organizations including the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security. The firm also works with nonprofit organizations.

Bazemore’s affinity for high-tech work started when she attended a middle school focused on engineering. She’d go on to earn an undergraduate degree in computer science from Morgan State, before pursuing her master’s in engineering telecommunications at Maryland.

Bazemore’s decision to start her own business came about organically.

“I can’t say that I was an entrepreneur at heart from childhood,” she says. “But the more I was exposed to systems engineering, the more I knew that I wanted to create something that allowed me to help others, and also build and sustain them.”

As CEO, Bazemore’s goal is to grow Ey3 into a Fortune 500 company that can make a lasting impact, particularly for the next generation of women and people of color in tech. She sees her company playing an integral role in systems engineering, cybersecurity and workforce development, bridging the gap between high-tech industries and underserved communities.

“The vision is clear,” Bazemore says. “We want to expand, hire more people, and continue to lead the charge in creating a diverse, inclusive, and innovative tech environment. I want to be an example and show people that they can live out their dreams.”

She’s doing so in various ways.

The company actively seeks out interns from underrepresented communities in the Baltimore and Prince George's counties, and in Washington, D.C., offering hands-on experience and mentorship. The interns are typically between the ages of 16 and 24.

This commitment to workforce development doesn't stop with internships. Bazemore seeks partnerships with nonprofit organizations, such as Employ Prince George’s Inc., which assists underrepresented communities in gaining access to tech training.

Bazemore has helped individuals receive certifications in areas such as Scrum and drone operation, skills that are highly sought after across multiple industries. The FAA-recognized drone certification opens the door to careers in aviation, agriculture, real estate, and law enforcement.

Her work is personal in still other ways.

"I want to be an example for my family, especially for my daughter," Bazemore says. "I want her to see that you can accomplish your dreams, even in spaces where people don't look like you."