Frederick Community College has been chosen to participate in a mentoring program sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the American Association of Community Colleges that will provide expert guidance and assistance with technological education grant proposals.
 

As part of the Mentor Connect program, participants are paired with experienced program mentors, who provide one-on-one support throughout the grant proposal submission process. The program will help FCC in its proposal for the NSF Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program, which is intended for two-year higher education institutions and focuses on the education of technicians in high-technology fields that drive the national economy. If awarded, the funding would benefit the FCC biotechnology program and could go toward student scholarships, program equipment, high school partnerships, and other program needs.
 

FCC is collaborating with Harrisburg University of Science and Technology for this program. The team will include:
 

• Kathi Groover, FCC program manager of business and technology
• Dr. Leena Pattarkine, Harrisburg professor and program director of biotechnology
• Savita Prabhakar, FCC assistant professor and program manager for biotechnology
• Pamela Dubitsky, FCC assistant director of grants management

The group will meet with its mentor team from December to June, including a week-long virtual workshop in February. The FCC proposal will be submitted for funding in Fall 2021.