September 4, 2008

A grant recently awarded to Chandler-Gilbert Community College will soon offer financial relief to promising science, technology, engineering, and math students across the Valley.

The $573,000 grant comes from the National Science Foundation Scholarships for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) Program, and was awarded to fund CGCC’s project, “High-Tech Transfer Program Scholars” (HTTPS).

The goal of program is to provide specialized educational opportunities and services for full-time, financial-aid eligible students with majors or program interests pursuing degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.

With this grant, CGCC will be able to award 25 scholarships per semester for an average of $2,500 per student (up to $5,000 annually) for the next four academic years.

“We are very proud to receive this grant and see this financial commitment as a vote of confidence from the NSF in the science, technology, engineering, and math programs at CGCC,” Bassam Matar, CGCC Engineering faculty said. “We’re thrilled that our students will have the opportunity to take advantage of scholarship funds that will help offset the cost of their college education.”

Matar said the goal of the program is to award 40 percent of the scholarships funds to student groups traditionally under-represented in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, in order to promote a more diverse workforce.

As part of the High-Tech Transfer Program, monthly events and activities will be held to allow scholarship recipients to interact with peers, college and university faculty, and industry representatives.

“These events will complement and enhance what students are currently learning in the classroom,” Matar said. “In addition to learning about career opportunities and jobs in related fields, students will have the opportunity to gain hands-on, application-based field experience.”

NSF’s funding proposals undergo a rigorous peer-review process, with each proposal reviewed by a number of faculty and administrators from universities nationwide. Of the 236 proposals submitted for this S-STEM grant, 95 were funded. This is the largest award the NSF has granted to CGCC.

For more information or to apply for this scholarship, access http://www.cgc.edu/s-stem.

CGCC is located at 2626 E. Pecos Rd. in Chandler.