Community College Presidents’ Initiative in STEM education

CCPI-STEM is accepting applications for the Fellows program through September 15. Click here to find out more.

According to the National Science Board,1 the number of U.S. jobs requiring science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) expertise has grown nearly 34 percent over the past decade and skilled technical job openings will exceed the skilled technical labor force by 3.4 million in 2022. It has never been more important to prepare a diverse STEM-capable workforce. With a long history of addressing local workforce needs and serving diverse student bodies, community colleges are well positioned to lead the way.

The goal of the Community College Presidents’ Initiative in STEM education (CCPI-STEM) initiative is to increase the number of eligible public community colleges taking advantage of National Science Foundation Advanced Technology Education (ATE) funding opportunities by encouraging and supporting institutional leaders to prepare ATE proposals and implement awarded ATE projects. Building on the successes of other ATE programs that educate and provide professional development for faculty to apply for ATE funding, CCPI-STEM will disseminate information to community colleges through regional networks comprised of presidents and senior administrators from colleges in the geographic areas.

CCPI-STEM is collaborating with three national organizations that support and advocate for community colleges—League for Innovation in the Community College, American Association of Community Colleges, and Association of Community College Trustees—to create resources and publications, hold webinars and meetings to disseminate information, promote regional and local college-business partnerships, develop curricular modules focused on STEM education and funding opportunities, and establish a scholars program.

Visit the CCPI-STEM website for more information about the project, including a calendar of events and meetings, the regional networks, and ATE awards by region.

Click here to read about this project in the May 2022 issue of Leadership Abstracts.

1 National Science Board. (2019). The skilled technical workforce: Crafting America’s science and engineering enterprise.
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