GateWay Community College in Phoenix awarded federal science grant

PHOENIX — GateWay Community College in Phoenix announced Wednesday it has received a five-year federal grant to increase support for students working toward STEM degrees.

The more than $600,000 grant will provide scholarships for at least 30 low-income students enrolled in STEM programs, the college said.

“Approximately 68% of our students are first-generation students and many of them enroll in STEM programs intent on earning their associate degrees, but are unable to complete due to various academic and personal reasons,” Shannon Ruth, a math professor, said in a press release.

“Efforts to improve that number will change countless lives for years to come.”

GateWay also plans to use part of the funding to support faculty mentorship and create a summer learning program.

The school says it is the first time in its 50-year history that it has been awarded a grant by the National Science Foundation.

“This grant is a major milestone for GateWay and cements our status as one of the preeminent community colleges in the country,” Vice President of Academic Affairs Amy Diaz said in the release.

“This type of funding will allow the school to continue to make quality education even more attainable for students who want to pursue a degree in science, technology, engineering or math.”

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