St. Charles Community College has received a $988,731 Advanced Technological Education grant from the National Science Foundation, the U.S. government’s independent science agency.
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St. Charles Community College has received a $988,731 Advanced Technological Education grant from the National Science Foundation, the U.S. government’s independent science agency.
The three-year grant will help fund the college’s new biotechnology program, which will test SCC’s faculty members’ ideas to improve technician education in the St. Louis region. The project, entitled “Biotech Prep: Pathway for Work-Ready Biotechnicians” has four primary objectives to first, develop and implement a new associate of applied science degree in biotechnology with industry-aligned, stackable certificates; second, to prepare students to earn industry-recognized certifications and microcredentials, such as the Biotechnician Assistant Credentialing Exam or Bioscience Core Skills Institute; third, to establish strong workforce connections in order to create a work-based experiential program that supports retention, degree and certificate completion, industry-recognized certifications, and workforce readiness; and fourth, to create and implement a robust K-12 high school recruitment program.
“SCC’s new, innovative program will prepare students for biotechnology and bioscience careers in our region,” said Dr. Barbara Kavalier, SCC president. “It’s an amazing opportunity for students who start at the community college, where they may earn an associate of applied science degree or a certificate that prepares them to work in this important industry.”
Enrollment in the new program opens this summer for the fall 2025 semester. For more information email advising@stchas.edu.
“This grant is more than just funding—it’s an investment in the future of biotechnology education. By supporting workforce development and industry-aligned training, it paves the way for students to become skilled, work-ready biotechnicians who will drive innovation and strengthen the St. Louis region’s biotech sector,” according to Dr. Monica Hall-Woods, professor of biology and the project’s principal investigator.
As the principal investigator, Dr. Hall-Woods will lead the new initiative with Dr. Mara Vorachek-Warren, dean of mathematics and sciences, Tammie De Los Santos, executive director for outreach and school relations and Amanda Sizemore, assistant vice president for workforce development. The team will work in partnership with an advisory board comprised of faculty, industry partners and K-12 school districts.
Dr. Hall-Woods and Dr. Vorachek-Warren began preparing the grant proposal in 2023 with mentoring and technical support from Mentor-Connect, which provides mentoring and technical resources to help two-year college faculty write competitive grant proposals.
The U.S. National Science Foundation ATE program focuses on educating technicians who work in high-tech fields that drive the nation’s economy. Because two-year community and technical colleges are the leading sources of technician education in the United States, faculty from these higher education institutions have had leadership roles in most U.S. National Science Foundation ATE projects since the program began in 1993.
