The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program and the Siemens Foundation recently named Northwest College as eligible for a STEM award in 2020-2021.

The Excellence and Equity in Community College STEM Award aims to highlight exceptional community college programs that prepare diverse students for jobs in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. Only 20 percent of all community colleges were invited to apply, and those that win are awarded $50,000 to go toward program enhancement and student scholarships.

Institutions invited to apply have demonstrated strong outcomes and a commitment to helping students succeed in both the classroom and workplace. They’ve also shown evidence of a dedication to equitable access and success in career and technical education for diverse populations of students.

Eligible institutions are invited to submit no more than two program fields including advanced manufacturing, energy, healthcare and information technology; NWC will submit award application materials for both the nursing and welding programs.

“To be considered for this award is both an honor and a privilege,” NWC President Stefani Hicswa said. “It’s definitely a testament to our faculty’s dedication to their students and a commitment to delivering high-quality instruction.”

After selecting the eight winning programs, Aspen and the Siemens Foundation will award $50,000 to each program; recognize the programs and scholars nationally through conference presentations and news/media interviews; partner with program heads to research equity-focused practices and develop toolkits and resources for college leaders on effective strategies for reaching and supporting diverse student populations in STEM fields.

Selected programs will be notified in February.