Pima Community College's Northwest Campus won a $2 million federal grant for programs to implement new ways to teach core classes.
The money, to be paid over five years, is from the U.S. Department of Education's Strengthening Institutions Program, which helps colleges expand their capacity, focusing on low-income students.
The grant is a "tremendous opportunity" for the college, which has been strained by state budget cuts in recent years, said campus President Alex Kajstura.
The college will spend the money on several projects.
One will turn a large lecture hall into a "math emporium" where students who aren't ready for college-level math can do self-paced modules on a computer under the guidance of an instructor, said grant program manager Aubrey Conover. Many students will be more successful in that setting than in a traditional 16-week class, he said.
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In another project, PCC will use about $200,000 to create a 7,200-square-foot multipurpose space where students can hold study groups, use computers, get one-on-one tutoring and meet with instructors, he said.
Those types of study situations helps students stay in college and graduate, Kajstura said.
Another project will allow faculty members to redesign courses to include interactive work stations that students rotate through in a class period or to create hybrid courses that include both online and in-person class time during a semester.
Nearly all of the 6,700 Northwest Campus students will benefit from those projects and more that are still in planning, Kajstura said.
Did you know?
Pima Community College won $26 million in grants last year.
Contact reporter Becky Pallack at bpallack@azstarnet.com or 807-8012.
