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| Jeanette White (right), coordinator of SCC’s civil engineering and geomatics (surveying) technologies programs, works with student Nicole Miler of Franklin during a recent class project in Sylva. White will be overseeing a new grant-funded project aimed at narrowing gender equity enrollment and persistence gap among college students in several advanced technology education programs. |
Through a partnership with Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, Southwestern Community College has received grant funding of more than $58,000 to launch a “Skilled Workers Get Jobs 2.0” program over the next three years.
The funding is provided by the National Science Foundation Advanced Technology Education Grant with the primary goal of narrowing the gender equity enrollment and persistence gap among female college students in targeted advanced technology education priority areas.
The project also aims to improve all students’ attainment of college course learning objectives in targeted advanced technology education priority areas.
Jeanette White, who oversees SCC’s civil engineering and geomatics (surveying) technologies programs, will serve as coordinator for the new project.
“Jeanette is the perfect individual to spearhead this campaign on our campus,” said Lynda Parlett, executive director of institutional development at SCC. “She is a role model for all of her students, and she can inspire everyone, regardless of gender or ethnicity, to be successful in any engineering field they choose.”
In addition to White’s programs, Southwestern offers credentialing options in related fields such as mechatronics, electronics, computer, telecommunications and networking engineering technologies that are included in this grant.
The new grant project aims to increase current female student enrollment by 15 percent each year.
“This may seem like an ambitious goal, but we believe it’s very attainable,” White said. “Throughout our service area of Jackson, Macon, Swain Counties and the Qualla Boundary, we have many extremely talented and bright ladies of all ages who dream of becoming engineers. Our goal is to connect with them and help turn their goals into reality.”
For more information about “Skilled Workers Get Jobs 2.0” or any of SCC’s engineering programs, contact White at 828.339.4427 or j_white@southwesterncc.edu.
Southwestern, which WalletHub ranks among the Top 10 community colleges in the nation, serves Jackson, Macon, Swain Counties and the Qualla Boundary. For more information about SCC and the programs it offers, visit www.southwesterncc.edu or call 828.339.4000.
