Clark College recently received a nearly $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation that will fund a new scholarship project for up to 48 high-achieving, low-income students completing science, technology, engineering and math degrees.
The National Science Foundation presented the college with the award on Thursday, Aug. 8, a news release from Sen. Maria Cantwell stated.
The $999,973 grant will be awarded to students through scholarships over a six-year duration. Qualifying students must be undergraduates who are pursuing associate degrees in engineering or computer science. First-year scholars will receive up to three-year scholarships, intensive faculty mentorship and project-based learning with local companies, the news release stated.
“We know that in Washington alone, we will have a shortage of 60,000 STEM workers by 2026,” Sen. Maria Cantwell said in the news release. “Today’s award will help low-income engineering and computer science undergraduates at Clark College receive the scholarships, mentorship and critical hands-on learning opportunities they need to become part of the STEM workforce of tomorrow.”
The National Science Foundation is an independent federal agency that supports science and engineering across U.S. states and territories. The agency’s investments account for nearly 25% of all federal support to American colleges and universities for basic research, according to the National Science Foundation website.
