The threat to American competitiveness has triggered many national, state and local movements to ensure student success in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. These so-called "STEM" fields are the key to high demand occupations that ensure economic security for the individual and economic prosperity for the region.
Delaware County Community College is well positioned to serve as a "gateway to opportunity" for STEM careers in our Delaware and Chester County service areas. Our unique role in delivering remedial coursework, augmented by a strong support network, provides every student the opportunity to aspire to challenging science- or technical-based careers. Well-defined pathways to advanced degrees at four-year colleges and universities provide the added opportunity to compete on a global scale.
The College will soon break ground on a $59 million educational complex that will become a center of excellence in related fields. The new science and technical buildings will transform the campus and bolster our efforts to recruit students to competitive careers.
In conjunction with this major investment by the College, I am playing leadership roles with three regional organized efforts in championing the STEM cause. The shared goals of these efforts identified below are the improvement of STEM education and the attraction of the best and brightest minds to these fields.
The Pennsylvania STEM Center Initiative – established by Governor Rendell to create a statewide STEM Center and five regional STEM Centers;
The Greater Philadelphia Regional Compact for STEM Education – focusing on economic and human development; and
The Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Universities – developing a comprehensive communications plan on the STEM crisis with a goal of ensuring adequate funding for scholarships, laboratory equipment and professional development for science and math instructors.
I invite you to join me in promoting the STEM initiatives in our region and to learn more about the College’s STEM Complex, a major undertaking not only for DCCC, but also for the community that we share with Delaware and Chester County residents.
Dr. Jerome S. Parker
President