PUTNEY — The National Science Foundation recently awarded Landmark College $650,000 over five years for “Access to Innovative Education: STEM Opportunities for Students with Learning Disabilities.”
The program launched this September with five students, each of whom will receive up to $10,000 in scholarship support. The purpose of the grant is to remove financial barriers to STEM education for qualifying students with financial need. The grant will also offer an array of supports geared toward student success, according to a news release.
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders praised the grant program in a prepared statement: “At a time when the skyrocketing cost of college has pushed higher education out of reach for many Vermonters, I am pleased Landmark College and the National Science Foundation have partnered to create an innovative program to help low-income students with learning disabilities pursue science and technology degrees.”
“We are delighted to know that our growing STEM programs will be provided with additional scholarship support,” said Peter Eden, Landmark College president.
“The program was designed for college learners who have dyslexia, ADHD, ASD, and other profiles,” said Michelle Bower, chair of the Mathematics and Computer Science Department. Bower co-directs the grant program.
Eligible students must be enrolled in an associate of science or bachelor of science degree program at Landmark College. In addition to receiving scholarships, students will engage in programming designed to create faculty-student connections and in-field experience.