National Science Foundation Award

Sep 30, 2010

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Dr. Heidi Manning, Chair, Division for Sciences and Mathematics
(218) 299-3393
Amy Kelly, Media Relations director
(218) 299-3642

CONCORDIA RECEIVES NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AWARD

    The National Science Foundation has awarded Concordia College nearly $500,000 to help increase the number of science, technology and mathematics students the college graduates. The college received $499,801 from the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program (STEP) grant. It will allow the college to implement new student-focused pedagogies and research opportunities for first-year students.
     Dr. Heidi Manning, chair of the division for Sciences and Mathematics, says the college will focus efforts on enhancing the educational experience through a change in pedagogy for first-year biology and physics courses. Introductory biology will use more case-based learning, while the introductory physics courses will combine lecture and lab learning during the same course period.
      The grant also funds new research opportunities for first-year students. During the five-year grant period, 40 students will participate in summer research projects between their first and second years. Grant funding will also create a new course exposing science and mathematics students to the variety of careers available with these majors.
    “This is an opportunity to make science more accessible and interesting to students through hands-on learning,” Manning says.
    The new grant comes just a year after the college received a nearly $600,000 NSF S-STEM grant to provide scholarships and other support for promising science, technology, engineering and mathematics students who have financial need.
    “Concordia combines inquiry-based classrooms and labs with comprehensive undergraduate research opportunities,” says Provost Mark Krejci. “The NSF grant is a recognition of this strong undergraduate science program."
      Concordia College is a four-year liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America offering 78 majors, including 18 honors majors, and 12 preprofessional programs.
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