Funding roundup

Everett Community College’s Ocean Research College Academy received its fourth NSF grant. This summer, ORCA students helped analyze data from water quality probes. (Photo: ECC)

In Washington, Everett Community College’s Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) is receiving a $333,688 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to grow the number of college students studying geoscience. The three-year grant funds summer scientific research opportunities for ORCA students, tuition for summer college classes, travel to scientific conferences and stipends for students who complete the summer program.

ORCA, an early college academy for high school students, is no stranger to NSF grants. This is the fourth grant the program has received since 2009. Previous grants have funded the ORCA research lab, research boat and collaborative research as part of the Community College Undergraduate Research Experience.

This summer, 11 ORCA students helped analyze data from the Washington State Department of Ecology water quality probes.

“By engaging students in the summer with our collaborators and project team, students have opportunities to explore where they live, and how it could be a career pathway,” Ardi Kveven, ORCA founder and executive director, said in a release.

California

Cuyamaca College’s future automotive technology students will benefit from a $100,000 pledge from an anonymous San Diego County couple. The couple’s planned gift will fund the new Pay It Forward Scholarship Program, which will ensure that any student with an interest can secure the training needed to thrive in an increasingly technologically complex industry.

Colorado

Pueblo Community College’s new partnership with NextEra Energy Resources will result in the college receiving 52 photovoltaic solar panels to create a 20-kilowatt solar energy system on PCC’s Pueblo campus. NextEra also will provide training and curriculum to help the college create a pipeline of skilled workers for the rapidly evolving industry.

The goal of the partnership is to create a living laboratory for renewable energy at PCC. Students will be able to use the solar energy system as a learning lab as they study how to operate and maintain the system, as well as analyze its data and build predictive analysis systems to optimize its operations.

“This commitment and generous gift from NextEra to invest in Pueblo, and in particular Pueblo Community College, is a wonderful opportunity for the institution to prepare the next generation of a renewable energy-skilled workforce,” said PCC President Patty Erjavec.

James Auld (foreground), director of external training initiatives for NextEra Energy Resources, and Gregg White, chair of the PCC machining program, unveil the panels for students. (Photo: PCC)

Florida

Northwest Florida State College can provide toolkits for welding students thanks to a $5,000 gift from Yates Construction. Each toolkit will include a welding helmet, welding jacket, welding gloves, safety glasses, tape measurer, wire brush, chipping hammer and other miscellaneous items.

Maryland

The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) will use a $33,112 grant to expand its Project SUCCESS, a tutoring program for students. The funding comes from the Charles County Charitable Trust. It will be used to purchase hardware and software for the Project SUCCESS resource room, including 20 new computers, equipped with scanners and assistive reading, writing and math software. That will enable at least 250 students entering CSM at the remedial level to improve their reading, writing and math skills.

New York

Bronx Community College (BCC) has received a $5 million National Science Foundation grant for Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (S-STEM). This is one of the largest S-STEM grants that NSF has ever awarded to a community college.

Over the next five years, the award will benefit 575 Bronx students who are pursuing degrees in math and the sciences. It will fund a collaboration with City University of New York’s Lehman College to provide scholarships, research opportunities and faculty mentoring to STEM students while at BCC and as they transfer to Lehman College.

“The grant will leverage proven resources — on both campuses — to provide academically talented, low-income students with academic, financial, advisement, mentoring, career and enrichment supports intended to help them to secure a degree, further their education and enter the STEM workforce,” BCC President Thomas A. Isekenegbe said in a release.

 

About the Author

Tabitha Whissemore
Tabitha Whissemore is a contributor to Community College Daily and managing editor of AACC's Community College Journal.
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