Madera Community College Center wins $200K grant

Madera Community College Center, a center of Reedley College, has won a $200,000 National Science Foundation – Advanced Technology Education grant. It will be awarded over three years through June 30, 2020.

Partners in the grant include Madera Unified School District, Golden Valley School District, Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology at Fresno State and local agribusiness industry.

The grant is entitled “Developing 2+2+2 Pathways in Agribusiness to Meet the Needs of California’s Agriculture Industry.” It will allow the Madera Center to create seamless 2+2+2 pathways from high school to two-year community college and four-year institutions for students interested in pursuing education in agriculture business and related fields.

Students will work toward a certificate, AS degree and/or transfer to four-year colleges and universities. High school students will be able to take college-level classes through dual enrollment thereby giving them a head-start to college education.

An intensive two-week Summer Academy in Agriculture Sciences and Technology program will expose students to educational and career opportunities in agriculture. The project will focus on improved retention, success and completion rates through academic counseling, dedicated tutorial services, modified curriculum/course rotation and internship opportunities.

Finally, improved course articulation with undergraduate institutions will allow students to transfer to four-year degrees in agriculture.

For information, contact Ganesan Srinivasan, Madera Center’s dean of instruction, at 675-4813.