December 5, 2014 Kenneth Colangelo

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Karen Wosczyna-Birch, Ed.D., is professor of applied science at Tunxis.

Karen Wosczyna-Birch, Ed.D.

BOR’S COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY ANNOUNCES COMMITMENT TO EXPAND COLLEGE ACCESS DURING WHITE HOUSE EVENT

(Hartford, Conn.) —Dr. Karen Wosczyna-Birch, director of the College of Technology and executive director of the Regional Center for Next Generation Manufacturing at the Board of Regents for Higher Education, joined President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Vice President Joseph Biden, along with hundreds of college presidents and other higher education leaders on Thursday, Dec. 4, to announce new actions to help more students prepare for and graduate from college.

The White House College Opportunity Day of Action helps to support the president’s commitment to partner with colleges and universities, business leaders, and nonprofits to support students across the country to help our nation reach its goal of leading the world in college attainment.

The Board of Regents has committed to sponsoring and facilitating outreach initiatives that encourage underrepresented students to pursue college education in science, technology, education and manufacturing (STEM) disciplines. Participants were asked to commit to new action in one of four areas: building networks of colleges around promoting completion, creating K-16 partnerships around college readiness, investing in high school counselors as part of the First Lady’s Reach Higher initiative, and increasing the number of college graduates in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

“We commend Dr. Wosczyna-Birch’s commitment to this initiative and the many students she supports through her work for the Connecticut College of Technology, the National Science Foundation Center of Excellence, and the Regional Center for Next Generation Manufacturing,” said Tunxis Community College President Cathryn L. Addy, Ph.D. “We are also grateful for her contributions as a Tunxis professor and wish her success in helping increase interest and participation in STEM careers across our system.”

“Connecticut state colleges and universities play a significant role in the intersection between higher education and economic development,” said Gregory Gray, President of the Board of Regents for Higher Education.  “It is essential that we continue to align education with workforce development needs to help young people complete college in a timely manner and be trained for the 21st century workforce. I applaud President Obama for convening these stakeholders and thank him for his commitment to higher education and economic growth.”

The Connecticut College of Technology is a statewide initiative that focuses on creating educational pathways for students to earn certificates, associate of science and bachelor of science degrees in engineering science and technology studies. As part of the effort to increase participation in STEM by women and underrepresented minorities, the Connecticut College of Technology’s Regional Center for Next Generation Manufacturing (COT-RCNGM) commits to sponsor and facilitate outreach initiatives that specifically encourage these students to pursue a college education in STEM disciplines.

The COT-RCNGM — a National Science Foundation Center of Excellence administered by Tunxis Community College in Farmington — will launch dedicated outreach to encourage women and underrepresented minorities to consider available careers in STEM, impacting more than 8,000 students. By holding high school manufacturing expos, guidance counselor workshops, and creating marketing materials featuring female and underrepresented students as role models, the COT-RCNGM will introduce high school students to career opportunities available in STEM. Through these initiatives, more than 8,000 students will be able to see first-hand that STEM careers are for anyone who has an interest in the fields.

President Obama announced new steps on how his Administration is helping support these actions, including announcing $10 million to help promote college completion and a $30 million AmeriCorps program that will improve low-income students’ access to college.  Today’s event is the second College Opportunity Day of Action, and will include a progress report on the commitments made at the first day of action on January 14, 2014.

Expanding opportunity for more students to enroll and succeed in college, especially low-income and underrepresented students, is vital to building a strong economy and a strong middle class.  Today, only 9 percent of those born in the lowest family income quartile attain a bachelor’s degree by age 25, compared to 54 percent in the top quartile. In an effort to expand college access, the Obama Administration has increased Pell scholarships by $1,000 a year, created the new American Opportunity Tax Credit worth up to $10,000 over four years of college, limited student loan payments to 10 percent of income, and laid out an ambitious agenda to reduce college costs and promote innovation and competition.

 

For Immediate Release: December 5, 2014

 

Michael Kozlowski
Director of Public Relations and Marketing
Board of Regents for Higher Education
860.723.0261 (W)
860.719.2136 (C)
[email protected]