Central Virginia Community College

 

CVCC Receives $2 Million NSF Grant for Engineering Education

 

Lynchburg, VA /Media Release/6/05/08 -- Central Virginia Community College announces that they have received a $2 million National Science Foundation grant to implement their engineering Produced in Virginia program, which provides undergraduate connections to engineering in the state. The grant will be used primarily for scholarships given to undergraduate engineers who will take some, or all, of their Bachelor of Science courses  on the CVCC campus, in a reciprocal agreement with the University of Virginia. Portions of the funds will be used by U.Va. to provide campus services to Lynchburg students and to expand the program to other Virginia community colleges.

 

The Produced in Virginia project begins at the secondary school level through a variety of CVCC programs that offer science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education opportunities that encourage local students, beginning in the middle school, and provide interest and support, particularly for those students who might not otherwise have the opportunity to pursue an engineering career.

 

In Fall 2007, 143 engineering students enrolled in the programs at CVCC and 72 were underwritten by Region 2000 companies. In 2008-2009 CVCC will be able to award 32 scholarships with this new NSF grant and the recently-announced Governor’s Initiative Funding. The NSF grant will begin in June 2008 and provide funds and scholarships until June 2011.

It will be facilitated in a collaboration between CVCC, the University of Virginia, Danville Community College and another, yet to be announced, community college.

 

Stan Shoun, Vice-President of Workforce Development at the College authored the NSF proposal in collaboration with the University of Virginia’s Dean of Engineering, James Groves. Dr. Darrel Staat, CVCC President, applauded the effort to bring a bachelor’s degree in engineering to Region 2000, “This award from the NSF addresses the growing need for engineers in our 21st century economy, through guaranteed engineering scholarships for the next five years.”

 

 

Release Date: 10:00 AM (EST) 06/5/08

Release Number: 080605NSFgrant………………………………………………………………………………………………………

 

Media Contact:

Kathy Cudlin

Coordinator, Public Relations and Marketing

Central Virginia Community College

(434) 832-7609

CudlinK@cvcc.vccs.edu

 

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A Member Institution of the Virginia Community College System.