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Collin College technology center awarded $4.4M grant
By Chris Beattie, cbeattie@starlocalnews.com
Collin College just got a significant nudge toward expanding its national influence on tech-related workforce training.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a $4.4 million grant to the college's Convergence Technology Center, upping it from regional to national standing.
"We recognize that convergence technology will continue to play an important role in shaping this country's long-term economic growth and quality of life," said Cary Israel, Collin College District president. "Through partnerships with major regional businesses, Collin College was the first college to establish a Convergence Technology Center to address the emerging need."
Collin College received its first NSF grant in August 2004 and began to broaden its partnerships with businesses and other colleges. Three more NSF grants since have each been less than $3 million, as the college's CT center was still regional -- three contributing partners and 23 beneficiary colleges.
Through its recent, larger grant, Collin College is now considered a National Convergence Technology Center. It's partnered with seven other colleges and universities: El Centro College; the University of North Texas; Florida State College of Jacksonville, Fla.; Fox Valley Technical College of Appleton, Wis.; Lansing Community College of Lansing, Mich.; Orange Coast College of Costa Mesa, Calif.; and Georgia Southern University.
As a national center, the college is aiming for 60 beneficiaries, all to be part of a widespread CT college network, said Ann Beheler, Collin College's executive director of emerging technology grants.
"Collin College gets to be the main beneficiary," Beheler said. "We're continuing our nationally known relationship with businesses in the area and identifying what knowledge, skills and abilities they want us to train our students."
Students can obtain a bachelor's degree related to CT, and can get further certification in emerging technologies. Others can get certified in Internet protocol specialization and wireless, satellite and installation processes -- all increasingly relevant CT skills.
Israel said that cyber security and the use of technology as a health care hub are the next "big moves" related to CT, and that Collin College is committed to preparing its teachers and students for growing job demand in those fields.
"We're evolving because the technology is evolving," he said. "We know our program is robust enough to get people back to work."
Beheler echoed Israel's stance, and said the center's national status was its aim from the beginning. "These have been our goals, and we're meeting them," she said.
Collin College and its partners will collaborate to improve their CT programs to meet workforce needs through faculty training, technology-enabled instructional support systems and mentoring nationwide on CT program implementation.
"People are interested in what will get them a job," Beheler said. "We establish that there's a demand for certain workers and align our curriculum with that."
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