The $200,000 grant will go
towards gaining accreditation and increasing the quality of the field of
engineering in Idaho.
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NAMPA, Idaho – March 4, 2015 – Northwest Nazarene University will no longer be
lacking in funds for their engineering program thanks to a $200,000 grant given
by the Micron Foundation. This new grant will help the university’s program
create new courses, hire new teachers, and raise the state of Idaho’s
credibility in the technology industry. The executive director of the Micron
Foundation, Dee Mooney, is supportive in this generous grant in order to help
the state of Idaho’s science education excel.
“The Micron Foundation
supports NNU’s efforts to strengthen its engineering program which supports the
State of Idaho’s goal of boosting education in science, technology, engineering
and math, “ said Mooney.
The university’s new
engineering program is a new bachelor of science major that began in fall 2010
with only 12 students. Its first graduating class has grown to serve 62
students for the year of 2014. The university is actively recruiting faculty,
staff and students to the program, but is looking for high-caliber applicants.
Dr. Stephen Parke, NNU’s Engineering Program Director expressed his gratitude
to the Micron Foundation for this grant.
“The Micron Foundation grant
to our engineering program is greatly appreciated. It provides leadership in
our on-going fundraising efforts to put in place the faculty, lab equipment,
and facilities required to build a high-quality engineering program and achieve
ABET accreditation in the shortest possible time.”
The grant will help build
the credibility of the program in order to gain accreditation from the
Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET). ABET is the
organization that accredits engineering programs nationwide to ensure graduates
are obtaining a high quality, professional education. ABET accreditation is essential for graduates
to pursue professional engineering licensure and graduate education.
High-tech jobs are growing
nearly four times faster than national average, and there are not enough
graduates from Idaho universities in engineering fields to keep up with the
demand. One of the grant’s goals is to help pursue the field of engineering and
to hamper the growth in the technology industry in Idaho. David Alexander, the
president of Northwest Nazarene University, gladly accepted this offer from the
Micron Foundation in order to help his university excel in this program.
“We are grateful to the
Micron Foundation for their investment in the future of NNU’s engineering
students. This grant affirms the caliber and promise of our emerging
engineering program. We look forward to leveraging these funds to attract
stellar faculty to this growing program and in so doing, serving the
engineering needs of the Treasure Valley and beyond.”
In order to begin this
process, two new professors and a laboratory manager will be hired, totaling a
number of six faculty in electrical, mechanical, and engineering physics. This
needs to be completed before the accreditation review in 2014.
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About the organizations:
·
Northwest Nazarene University, a comprehensive Christian university, offers
more than 60 areas of study, 19 master's degrees in seven different disciplines
and one doctoral degree. In addition to its 85-acre campus located in Nampa,
Idaho, the University also offers programs online as well as in Boise, Idaho
Falls, McCall, Twin Falls, and in cooperation with programs in 10 countries.
Founded in 1913, the university now serves over 2,000 undergraduate and
graduate students, more than 6,000 continuing education student and 2,300 high school
students through the concurrent credit program.
·
The Micron Technology Foundation, Inc., a private, non-profit organization
established in 1999 with a gift from Micron Technology, Inc., is engaged in
funding educational efforts and charitable activities. To learn more about the
Micron Technology Foundation, visit its web site at www.micron.com/foundation.
Contact Information:
Amanda Mecham,
Director
Marketing and Media
Office: (208)
467-8531
FAX: (208) 467-8775
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