Feds award KCK college $745K+ to boost 30 low-income STEM students working toward biology degrees
December 1, 2022 | Startland News Staff
A National Science Foundation grant is expected to support the retention and graduation of high-achieving, low-income STEM students, said U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, announcing the award.
Kansas City Kansas Community College (KCKCC) is set to receive $745,635 to fund scholarships — over the next five years — for 30 full-time students who are pursuing a degree with a biology emphasis, Davids detailed.
U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas
“As someone who worked multiple jobs to help pay my way through community college, I understand the huge difference this scholarship will make for these 30 KCKCC students,” she said. “I’m excited for the new support and mentorship opportunities the students will receive and applaud KCKCC’s dedication to diversifying their academic programs.”
The funding announced Thursday benefits KCKCC’s Building Biologists Using Assets for Scholar Success project, which works to increase graduation rates and pathways to the STEM workforce by linking scholarships with effective support services for low-income students.
The program’s services include mentoring, undergraduate research experiences, internship opportunities, and participation in presentations and workshops that showcase the demands and rewards of a career in STEM.
Click here to learn more about KCKCC’s award and the Building Biologists Using Assets for Scholar Success project.
“Kansas City Kansas Community College is excited to boost biology careers through student scholarships provided by the National Science Foundation grant,” said Dr. Greg Mosier, president of KCKCC. “This is an important opportunity to advance STEM careers in the state. We appreciate the opportunity to participate in this initiative.”
Sharice Davids tours KCKCC’s Automation Engineering Technology Program in March; photo courtesy of Sharice Davids’ Office
In August, Davids announced a similar NSF award of $1.4 million for Johnson County Community College’s STEM Scholars Program. The effort shares the mission of KCKCC’s — supporting low-income, high-achieving students in the STEM field, according to Davids’ office.
Other funding support for education and STEM workforce in the Kansas Third District includes previously announced federal funding to improve college readiness through KCKCC’s Upward Bound program and securing $1.9 million for their Automation Engineering Technology Program, allowing students to train on new, real-life automation equipment as they prepare to enter the manufacturing workforce.
Featured Business
2022 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Popular TEDxKC won’t return in 2018; organizers to focus on women, youth events
TEDxKC — one of the largest and most-popular independently-organized TEDx events in the world — won’t be back for 2018. While TEDxYouth@KC and TEDxKCWomen are expected to return in 2018, hitting pause on TEDxKC’s “general ideas” event will allow organizers to reflect on accomplishments, missteps and milestones, said Mike Lundgren, co-founder of TEDxKC. “We asked two…
Fitbit integrating Sickweather illness forecasting into new wearables
Sickweather is stepping into the wearables market. A new partnership with industry leader Fitbit is expected to see the Kansas City-based startup’s illness forecasting technology integrated into Fitbit’s new products. “Smartwatches provide a powerful platform to deliver important health tools that help our users manage conditions more conveniently than ever before,” said James Park, co-founder…
Surveys, rewards dying: Tapyness scores customer feedback with one-tap, 3-second experience
No one takes 15-minute surveys anymore, said Matthew Korte, co-founder of Tapyness, a Lawrence-based customer experience platform that provides real-time feedback via kiosks in client businesses. A typical Tapyness interaction takes three seconds, he said. “We’re down to the millisecond, and we’re aggregating hundreds of tablets simultaneously within one brand to go: ‘Here’s the health…
Lean Lab rebrands to reflect its evolution within education innovation
The Lean Lab has announced a rebranding effort to better reflect and differentiate it from other groups in education innovation, said co-founder Katie Boody. Unveiling a new look in late April, the Kansas City-based organization is now LEANLAB Education, which Boody hopes will better communicate its mission, she said. “We know the nature of our…