$960,000 will support student learning…
Capecodtoday.com recently wrote about Cape Cod Community College being awarded two grants totaling $960,000 providing support and technology for students studying in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).
The first grant, awarded to the College by the National Science Foundation (NSF), will fund over 50 scholarships to academically talented students with demonstrated financial need in the College’s Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, and Science programs.
Eligible students must be US citizens who qualify for FAFSA based financial aid, enrolled full-time in a STEM degree program with a GPA of at least 3.0 or higher, and have completed at least 6-credits prior to becoming a participant. This grant will focus on increasing access and entry for low-income, rural, and diverse students into STEM programs and well-paid, in-demand STEM careers.
The second grant, awarded to the College via the Massachusetts Workforce Skills Cabinet with support from the Baker Administration, provides $310,000 for classroom and laboratory technology upgrades in Engineering, Digital Manufacturing, Robotics, and Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) training. These funds allow significant enhancements to the College’s Engineering, Computer Science, and Manufacturing toolsets and equipment.
The College collaborated with local high schools and area industry partners including Teledyne Marine Systems, SencorpWhite, Hydroid, and Onset Computer Corporation to develop the grant and to ensure continuity of technology.
“These grants, and the commitment they provide, will have tremendous impact for our students,” said John Cox, President of Cape Cod Community College. “We are seeing a STEM revolution happening in our region and beyond, and we are proud that our students, faculty, and staff are at the center of this movement. With more access to STEM degrees, upgraded technology, and a new Science and Engineering Center coming in 2022, Cape Cod Community College is positioned for the future of STEM education.”
Activities for the NSF grant will be led by Fredrick Bsharah, Department Chair and Associate Professor of Engineering for Cape Cod Community College, Bridget Burger, Director of Cape Cod Regional STEM Network, and Jill Neumayer DePiper, Senior Research Associate at the Education Development Center. Grant activities for the MassSkills award will be managed by Bsharah.
“Here on the Cape and Islands we have an opportunity to create a bright future for ourselves withscience and technology, and 4Cs is uniquely positioned to offer pathways to success for our students with high-quality STEM programs, made even more meaningful with grants like these,” said Burger. “We are immensely thankful for these two grants and for the support we’ve received from NSF and the Massachusetts Workforce Skills Cabinet to continue to enhance our STEM offerings and technology.”
For questions about the grants or how to apply for STEM scholarships, contact Fredrick Bsharah at fbsharah@capecod.edu or Bridget Burger at bburger@capecod.edu.