FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2024
Contact: Martha M. Parham, Ed.D.
Cell: 714-932-3694
mparham@aacc.nche.edu
National initiative brings together two-year college professionals to advance their leadership skills and raise awareness of STEM technician education programs
Washington, DC—The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) announced an inaugural cohort for the ATE Future Leaders Fellows program with funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) through its Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program.
The ATE Future Leaders Fellows program focuses on serving two-year college professionals seeking to advance their leadership skills and contribute to a national dissemination effort on STEM technician education and capacity building.
The program enables ATE community college professionals to participate in the AACC’s John E. Roueche Future Leaders Institute (FLI) or Future Presidents Institute (FPI) and serve as program ambassadors to help raise awareness of the STEM technician education landscape, and the opportunities and resources available through NSF ATE funding.
The ATE Future Leaders Fellows program aims to develop community college leaders with the competencies to support business and industry relationships, build STEM capacity, and support a campus culture of innovation to prepare students for the future of work.
The four Fellows selected for the 2024-2025 program are:
- Cheryl Burrell, Program Coordinator of Biotechnology, Forsyth Technical Community
College, NC - Marni Danhauer, Dean of Community & Workforce Education, Central Community
College, NE - Rolynda Potter, Department Head, Engineering Systems Technology, Chattanooga
State Community College, TN - Matthew Swenson, Director of Grants, Green River College, WA
AACC has successfully partnered with the National Science Foundation through its ATE program for more than 30 years and hosts an annual ATE Principal Investigators’ Conference and Community College Innovation Challenge, as well as runs the MentorLinks mentoring program. These activities, coupled with the new ATE Future Leaders Fellows program, serve to broaden the impact of community college leadership in advancing STEM technician education; create venues for developing and nurturing STEM professional and leadership development opportunities for two-year college administrators, faculty, and students; cultivate innovation and entrepreneurship; support institutional STEM capacity building; and raise awareness of the valuable contributions and resources of community colleges working in STEM technician education.
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About AACC
Uniquely American, community colleges serve more than 10 million students annually, providing critical access to higher education in academic and workforce development. As the voice of the nation’s community colleges, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), delivers educational and economic opportunity for more than 10 million diverse students in search of the American Dream. Uniquely dedicated to access and success for all students, AACC’s member colleges provide an on-ramp to degree attainment, skilled careers, and family-supporting wages. Located in Washington, D.C., AACC advocates for these not-for-profit, public-serving institutions to ensure they have the resources and support to increase economic mobility for all. https://www.aacc.nche.edu/