Music producers and songwriters Terry Lewis and Jimmy “Jam” Harris, recent inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, have CEHD ties. The duo first met as middle school students in the 1970s in the CEHD Trio Upward Bound college preparatory program.

Lewis, from North Minneapolis, and South Minneapolis’ Harris were participants in a unique Minneapolis Public Schools, University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering, and University Upward Bound partnership program in peer mathematics instruction.

Minneapolis middle school math teachers nominated a cohort of strong math students who were accepted into the Upward Bound program. During the Upward Bound summer camp intensive summer educational program, these students received special math instruction by University Department of Aeronautical Engineering faculty. During the following academic year, the peer instruction students co-taught classes with Minneapolis math instructors to middle school students one or two grades younger than them. 

Lewis and Harris were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 5, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California. Through their company, Flyte Tyme, they produced five Grammy Awards, 16 number one pop hits (including nine by Janet Jackson), 26 R&B number one hits, 41 top 10 U.S., and 31 top 10 U.K. billboard songs.

Thanks to Bruce and Sharyn Schelske, retired directors of TRIO Student Support Services and McNair Scholars, for contributing this story.