LCC
receives $249,500 federal grant
for environmental science education
The
U.S. Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded a $249,500
grant to Laredo Community College -- the only two-year
college in the nation to benefit from $3.4 million
in grants awarded by the NOAA to 13 higher education
institutions this year.
With this federal funding, this fall 15 Laredo Community
College students are following paths to becoming future
biologists, mathematicians, health care, and computer
professionals with significant learning advantages.
"Laredo Community College is proud to rank with
some of the country's finest universities benefiting
from the NOAA grant," said College president
Dr. Ramon H. Dovalina. "With this valuable support,
some LCC students are receiving advantaged learning
opportunities to help them realize their career aspirations."
Tom Miller, director of the Lamar Bruni Vergara Environmental
Science Center at LCC, says that the NOAA grant will
help the college institute a three-year environmental
internship program under the auspices of the LCC Science
Department and the LBVE Science Center. Up to 16 students
every semester will participate in the internship.
"LCC received the award as part of the Environmental
Entrepreneurship Program of the NOAA's Educational
Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions,"
said Miller. "LCC students with interests or
majors in science, health science, math, or computer
science have been placed with one of 14 local partners
representing three divisions of Laredo government,
two State of Texas entities, private companies, non-profit
organizations, and educational facilities."
The interns work up to 12 hours a week with these
partners and will receive a stipend of up to $1,250
each semester.
The interns will travel to the Texas coast and visit
NOAA facilities, plus four-year universities in Galveston,
Corpus Christi/Port Aransas, or Brownsville/South
Padre Island.
Miller added that the interns, who must maintain at
least a B average in science and math, will also have
opportunities to participate in NOAA-funded projects
at the LBVE Science Center.
The interns served as team captains for the volunteer-assisted
beautification of the college's Paso del Indio Nature
Trail during the recent Dia del Río observance.
They will also give a presentation to share their
unique learning experiences with some 200 high school
seniors. Plus, there is a potential opportunity for
the NOAA interns to engage on a propagation project
for a new orchid house at the LBVE Science Center.
"The environmental intern program is providing
LCC students with real world work experience, stipends,
and possible scholarship opportunities to advance
their education at a university after completing their
studies at LCC," said Miller.
The NOAA awards given to the 13 minority-serving institutions
will help develop and enhance educational programs
and hands-on learning experiences for students in
atmospheric, environmental, oceanic sciences and remote
sensing technologies. Funding is also provided to
cooperative science centers and undergraduate scholarship
and graduate sciences programs to support educational
and research opportunities. The program is in its
third year.
The NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security
and national safety through the prediction and research
of weather and climate-related events and providing
environmental stewardship of U.S coastal and marine
resources.
For more information about the NOAA Internship program
at LCC, contact Miller at 764-5701. LBVE Science Center
office hours are Mondays through Thursdays from 8
a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
