New Associate Degree in Natural Science approved for Kapiolani Community College

Kapiʻolani Community College
Contact:
John Rand, (808) 734-9433
Kapiolani Community College
Kristen Bonilla, (808) 956-5039
External Affairs & University Relations
Posted: Mar 22, 2007

HILO, Hawaiʻi — At its monthly meeting held last week at Hawaiʻi Community College on the Big Island, the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents (BOR) approved the establishment of an Associate in Science degree in Natural Science at Kapiʻolani Community College to be available in Fall 2007.

With a concentration offered in life science or physical science, the degree program will prepare students to transfer to four-year institutions majoring in the STEM disciplines—science, technology, engineering and mathematics— and will enable the college to contribute to the state‘s needs for an educated workforce and the nation‘s needs for a more robust STEM infrastructure.

Earlier this month, Kapiʻolani CC dedicated its newly renovated STEM Center, a unique collaborative space that encourages hands-on learning in a state-of-the-art lab and center for students pursuing STEM fields of study. It will offer tutoring, peer mentoring, tablet PC and desktop computer support, and educational resources.

"Our goal is to enhance the quality of science, technology, engineering and mathematics instructional and outreach programs at the college, as well as increase the number of STEM students transferring to four-year degree programs," said STEM Program Director John Rand, who is also a science professor at the college. "We‘re seeing positive results from our efforts as more and more students are signing up for STEM courses and looking at possible careers in STEM fields."

The STEM Program was started in August 2005 with a five-year, $1.25-million Tribal Colleges and Universities Program grant from the National Science Foundation to strengthen STEM education and support Hawaiian students to transfer into STEM majors. It also included support for the development of this degree program.

For more information about the new degree and the STEM Program at Kapiʻolani CC, visit www.hawaii.edu/kccstem.

For more information, visit: http://www.hawaii.edu/kccstem