LBCC has been selected as one of 10 colleges in the United States to receive a $284,000 Hewlett-Packard Innovations in Education Grant.
The grant will consist of HP technology, cash, and professional services, including wireless HP Tablet PCs, HP DesignJet printers, and remote access to HP Blade Workstations – all of which will be used to teach students and equip the new science building that is scheduled to open in January 2010, according to an LBCC press release.
The grant, which is designed to address the need for more students to pursue and complete high-tech undergraduate degree programs, comes on top of a previous grant from the National Science Foundation that provides each student up to $10,000 of scholarships for for studying math, physical science, engineering and computer science.
Instructors in physical science, engineering and computer science will work together to develop a coordinated set of classroom activities around the technology, to improve the computing skills of students and offer them a path from high-school, through community colleges and into university science and engineering programs.
“It’s kind of an exciting project,” said Greg Mulder, grant coordinator and LBCC Physical science instructor. “ I have wonderful colleagues here at LBCC, all with great ideas … the grant from Hewlett-Packard will allow us to share and coordinate our best classroom activities in order to give our students the best educational experience possible and prepare them for challenging and highly rewarding careers in science and engineering fields.”
Mulder said that the proposal was put together by a group of instructors over spring break via e-mail and that LBCC was the only community college chosen.
“Innovation is key to expanding educational opportunity and HP is privileged to collaborate with educators around the world who are committed to exploring the exciting possibilities that exist at the intersection of teaching, learning, and technology,” said Worldwide Program Manager for HP Global Social Investments Jim Vanides in a press release.
In addition to students at LBCC, middle and high school students throughout the region will have access to workshops and activities using the equipment provided by the grant.
For more information about the 2009 HP Innovations in Education, go to www.hp.com/go/grants.
(Photo Credit: MCT)
