Reporter’s notebook

  • Florida college receives $15M to expand tech programs
  • Mentors from a small-business STEM incubator
  • New Jersey college freezes tuition for third year in a row

Florida college receives $15M to expand tech programs

Miami Dade College (MDC) on Wednesday announced it will receive a total of $15 million to expand its programs in applied artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics and related emerging technologies.

The $15 million investment comprises $7 million from John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, $5 million from Miami-Dade County, $2 million from the City of Miami and $1 million from the Miami Downtown Development Authority.

Over the past five years, MDC’s School of Engineering and Technology (EnTec) has teamed with industry leaders such as IBM, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Google, Cisco and Oracle which has resulted in programs in areas including cloud computing, cybersecurity and data analysis that are market-aligned in terms of curriculum and skills development. EnTec serves more than 5,000 students each year across more than 30 degrees, MDC says.

The new funding will allow MDC to increase by more than 20% its EnTec faculty with a focus in AI and emerging tech disciplines, as well as develop new courses and professional development programs in these fields. The college will also implement AI for All, an initiative that aims to train every MDC student in applied AI regardless of their degree track. MDC said it will be the first college in the nation to implement an AI course in its core curriculum.

In addition, MDC plans to build an AI Center to encourage experiential learning and collaboration between industry and academia, which will join existing MDC technology centers focused on animation and gaming, cloud computing and cybersecurity.

Mentors from a small-business STEM incubator

Massachusetts Bay Community College and ABI-LAB have announced a partnership to give MassBay STEM students access to the scientists, researchers and other STEM professionals who lease lab space in the ABI-LAB lab incubator.

The partnership will yield for students scholarships, networking opportunities and exclusive mentorship through the MassBay STEM Mentor Program, while building and educating a stronger local STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) workforce.

ABI-LAB supports startups ranging from life sciences to biotech and is a collaborative lab environment that provides lab space and resources, which makes research possible for smaller companies, according to the college. ABI-LAB helps scientists and researchers bring their research from ideas to fruition. The entrepreneurial lab concept is the only “biotech incubator” in MetroWest Boston, serving more than 45 local research companies, MassBay said.

Through the new partnership, there are currently five scientists from ABI-LAB mentoring students in MassBay’s STEM Mentor Program, which matches STEM students and industry professionals in one-on-one mentoring relationships for the course of the academic year. The five ABI-LAB professionals are from Avenge Bio, Cytovia Therapeutics, EverCell Bio, Synspira Therapeutics, and the WuXi AppTec company

“Talking with a STEM professional who is currently working in their field of study gets students excited about pursuing a degree, and it gives them a glimpse into their future careers, which is invaluable,” said Tracey Gustafson, manager of the college’s STEM Mentor Program. “This partnership gives our students an opportunity to tour labs, ask questions, and network with leading industry professionals at ABI-LAB.”

New Jersey college freezes tuition for third year in a row

Union County College in New Jersey will keep its tuition and fees as is for a third consecutive year.

The college’s board of trustees this week approved the freeze for the 2022-2023 academic year. Full-time students taking 12 to 18 credits and living in the county will pay the same rate of $2,640.50. Historically, community colleges try to keep tuition low and any increases to a minimum, which has been especially tough with declining enrollments, rising costs and the challenges resulting from Covid pandemic.

“We have been as lean as possible to avoid an increase on tuition for our students,” President Margaret M. McMenamin said in a release. “At Union, students are number one and keeping our tuition and fees flat for three years, even during a pandemic, is one of the ways we exemplify that.”

About the Author

Matthew Dembicki
Matthew Dembicki edits Community College Daily and serves as associate vice president of communications for the American Association of Community Colleges.
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