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VCU Gets Grant to Support STEM Education

Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond will give more resources to community college students, who transfer to the university studying in STEM fields. That’s thanks to a new one-million dollar grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

The money will pay for a one week course on instruction for STEM professors both at VCU and two local community colleges.

“What’s the best way to teach biology? What’s the best way to teach chemistry? What’s the best way to teach physics?” explains Rosalyn Hobson Hargraves, who works at VCU’s Schools of Education and Engineering.“Oftentimes faculty are trained to be experts in their discipline... and not necessarily in their instruction.”

The funds will also help establish a more comprehensive week-long orientation for students who transfer from community college to a STEM field at VCU.

The university is one of 33 nationwide selected for the five-year grant.

 

This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.

Mallory Noe-Payne is a Radio IQ reporter based in Richmond.