EWC Host to Wyoming Space Grant Consortium Board Meeting

December 20, 2010

TORRINGTON, WY –

Eastern Wyoming College recently hosted the fall board meeting of the Wyoming Space Grant Consortium.

Each year the Space Grant Consortium receives money from NASA for scholarships and grants. Each college receives scholarship money in the fall to award to students in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines for the spring semester. The total scholarship funds for EWC are about $3,000 and in year past have been awarded to 5 or 6 students, with funds being divided equally. The scholarship money can be used by the student for whatever helps to keep them in school and successful, including living expenses and transportation costs. STEM students can also apply for a transfer scholarship to the University of Wyoming.

Dr. Lorna Stickel, chemistry instructor, has served on the scholarship selection committee and is a board member.

“We are proud of Lorna, not only for being a member of this board, but also for her work with the Summer of Innovation Wind Energy Camp which benefited children from throughout the area. Lorna is an outstanding faculty member who is always willing to be involved in community and regional educational initiatives,” shared Dr. Dee Ludwig, Vice President for Learning.

In addition to scholarships for students, grant money is available for research projects and curriculum development for STEM educators. Dr. Stickel has received these grant dollars in the past for curriculum development.

This past summer, the Summer of Innovation Wind Energy Camp was held on the EWC campus for middle school and early high school students and was co-sponsored by the Space Grant Consortium. This camp introduced thirty area participants to STEM career pathways.