This project features six interrelated activities that advance community college leadership in STEM education, encourage more community colleges to develop ATE-related programs, and promote the value, accomplishments, and impact of the ATE program. The activities build upon the successes of previous efforts supported by the National Science Foundation, and include: three National ATE Principal Investigators Conferences in 2011, 2012, 2013, improved access to ATE PI Conference presentations and materials through a conference blog, YouTube channel, video and audio downloads, and webinars, continuation of the MentorLinks program with an additional 10 community colleges establishing new programs or strengthening existing programs in STEM fields, a project brief focusing on the outcomes of the MentorLinks program, a series of student video profiles highlighting 10 ATE students and their accomplishments, and increased dissemination of information about ATE programs and their impact through presentations, feature stories, web site, and the use of social media technologies. The impact of these activities is helping community college leaders to make the important connections and partnerships necessary to build and sustain their STEM programs. The activities are helping to expand, shape, and focus the future of the ATE program as it positions itself to meet the increasing demand for a trained technical workforce amid the challenges of maintaining U.S. competitiveness in a global economy.
The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), through its NSF ATE grant activities, advanced community college leadership in STEM education, encouraged the development of ATE-related programs in community colleges, and promoted the value, accomplishments, and impact of the ATE program. The activities included three national ATE Principal Investigators Conferences in 2011, 2012, and 2013; a STEM mentoring and technical assistance program, MentorLinks; a Broadening Impact: NSF Funded Projects at Two-Year Colleges Conference in June 2011; a STEM faculty leadership development event held in conjunction with the Mentor-Connect project in July 2014; outreach and information dissemination; and publications. AACC convened three successful national ATE Principal Investigators Conferences in October 2011, 2012, and 2013, which provided networking, professional development, and technical assistance opportunities to more than 1,600 community college, four-year college/university, K-12, and business/industry representatives. Each year attendees reported that the conference significantly contributed to the positive impact of their projects and centers with value placed on the conference’s ample networking opportunities and venues to share promising practices and lessons learned. One hundred and sixty ATE students from community colleges, high school dual-enrollment programs, and four-year universities were nominated by ATE faculty and received travel support to attend and present at the national ATE Conferences. Each student was acknowledged for their achievements in STEM technician education programs and received certificates of recognition from NSF. In addition, the Broadening Impact Conference offered professional development opportunities to more than 300 attendees, and included targeted NSF Program Director-led sessions focused on activities to strengthen partnerships and share information about NSF programs open to community colleges. AACC managed the MentorLinks: Advancing Technological Education program and assisted eight "mentee" community colleges in developing, strengthening, and sustaining their STEM technician education programs. AACC awarded two-year grants of $20,000 to the mentee colleges and paired each college team with an experienced mentor in their disciplinary field. Five out of the 8 MentorLinks colleges applied for and received NSF ATE funding; two others leveraged MentorLinks for additional state and federal funding opportunities; and another college submitted an NSF ATE proposal in October 2014 as a result of their work in the synergistic Mentor-Connect project. As a result of their MentorLinks participation, the colleges produced 3 new associate degree programs; 10 new certificate programs; 20 new courses; 6 new internship programs; redesigned curriculum in 6 programs; and directly served over 1,200 community college and K-12 students. The colleges also leveraged their MentorLinks grants to receive $1,907,126 in additional funding. Through a no-cost extension, AACC was able to use funds to host a STEM faculty leadership development event in partnership with the Mentor-Connect project in July 2014. AACC successfully convened 60 individuals representing community college faculty and administrator teams and their Mentor-Connect mentors. Meeting attendees had the opportunity to engage in faculty leadership development, hear from successful teams from the previous round of Mentor-Connect to share strategies and lessons learned from the NSF ATE proposal submission process, and to continue working with their mentors. The event was strategically held just prior to the HI-TEC Conference; and AACC supported the meeting’s attendees to leverage their experience at HI-TEC to learn more about the ATE community, and have the opportunity to network and obtain resources. AACC produced and distributed information about ATE and STEM technician education including: (1) a report from the Broadening Impact Conference: NSF Funded Projects at Two-Year Colleges that included information on conference proceedings and resources for addressing challenges for community colleges in developing and submitting NSF proposals and broadening STEM impact; (2) a student video project featuring 10 student profiles, "ATE Student Voices: Student Leaders;" (3) two AACC project briefs profiling the MentorLinks program, (4) Forty-eight articles published in the Community College Times (now Community College Daily) and the Community College Journal highlighting the work of community colleges in ATE and STEM fields; (5) ATE Conference orientation webinars for new attendees and ATE students; and (5) a project web site at www.aacc.nche.edu/ateprogram. Through the project activities outlined above, AACC advanced awareness and understanding of STEM disciplines and strategies by building and strengthening STEM programs; enriching and expanding the current network of institutions working at the forefront of technological education reform; supporting that network through professional development opportunities and mentoring programs; and disseminating information about the impact and national significance of successful technician education programs.
