Menendez, Booker Announce $1.6M to Create Model STEM Program

On Jul 3, 2019

U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker announced the awarding of $1,684,277 in federal funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to Kean University to develop a program aimed to increase the retention and completion rates of students studying computer science and information technology (IT).

“In order to compete with the rest of the world, we must ensure STEM education remains a focus of our entire education system,” said Sen. Menendez. “This program will help unlock the potential in more students and make sure they are prepared to enter the workforce. I applaud Kean University’s commitment to STEM education and ensuring that every student, regardless of background, has the tools they need to succeed.”

“This federal investment will help transform the lives of New Jersey’s future leaders and ensure that students successfully graduate with a quality education that will propel them into careers in STEM,” said Sen. Booker. “This National Science Foundation grant will help train a new generation of scientists with the tools to compete in a 21st century workforce and ensure that our country remains at the forefront of innovation.”

This program will help prepare students to enter the STEM workforce by providing curriculum support and innovative faculty development, revising several computer science courses to integrate material from Google and the Computing Alliance for Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and developing career building activities to ensure students are prepared for life after graduation. The goal of this project is to provide evidence-based activities and strategies that other colleges and universities can adopt in order to increase the success rate of computer science and IT students, particularly for underrepresented students.

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