Whatcom Community College was recently awarded nearly $5 million in five grants from the National Science Foundation. The grants focus on improving science, technology, engineering and math education and cybersecurity.
In September, WCC was awarded a $3.6 million grant to pilot the NSF CyberCorps Scholarship for Service program in a community college. Previously the program has only been administered by universities. The program will provide scholarships at five community colleges, including WCC, to 25 student veterans or students with prior bachelor’s degrees who are interested in pursuing cybersecurity careers. WCC will lead the grant in collaboration with California State University, San Bernardino.
A $232,000 grant will fund a project to improve undergraduate STEM education by using 3D-printed models and hands-on activities to enhance student learning in calculus and engineering classes. It features a collaboration with Western Washington University psychology faculty.
WCC also received $720,000 to fund the CyberWatch West Resource Center, led by Corinne Sande, WCC’s director for computer sciences and information systems. The grant positions CyberWatch as a national resource center supporting U.S. colleges that want to develop or enhance their cybersecurity educational programs and strengthen the nation’s cybersecurity workforce.
WCC’s current CyberWatch West grant also received supplemental funding totaling more than $261,000.
Also, nearly $145,000 will supplement from the college’s existing “Catalyzing Computing and Cybersecurity in Community Colleges” grant program, which works to establish and support national network of community colleges that meet high standards in cybersecurity and computing education. The grant funds will be used to investigate the effectiveness of teaching cybersecurity modules in two different formats, including an online learning platform.
WCC is regularly recognized as one of the top 150 community colleges in the nation by the Aspen Institute. For more information, visit whatcom.edu.
