U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced with Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) that the National Science Foundation awarded Dartmouth College and the University of New Hampshire (UNH) $3.8 million for projects that invest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Dartmouth will receive $2,791,391 for a project that targets STEM undergraduate curriculum. UNH will receive $999,558 for a project that prioritizes training and retention of STEM students in an effort to increase degree completion of low-income undergraduates in STEM fields. Specifically, the UNH funding would pay for scholarships for STEM students transferring from Great Bay Community College in Portsmouth to UNH.

“New Hampshire is a hub for innovation, which is why our academic institutions are so heavily sought after for students, educators and personnel. These grants are an important opportunity for both Dartmouth and UNH to build out our Granite State workforce and ensure students are trained to compete and thrive in a 21^st century economy,” said Shaheen. “I’m very excited for the students at Great Bay Community College who will receive financial aid to further their STEM studies at UNH. STEM jobs are a great opportunity to start a good-paying career and New Hampshire businesses are eager to hire. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I’ll keep fighting for federal resources like this that support our students and invest in the future of our workforce.”

“From giving more Great Bay Community College students the opportunity to advance their studies in the STEM fields at UNH to supporting Dartmouth’s efforts in expanding the STEM curriculum, these federal grants will help ensure that students have the skills needed to thrive in the 21st century economy and that innovative businesses have the highly skilled workforce they need to succeed,” said Senator Hassan.

“In our 21st century economy, the demand for jobs in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math fields is only growing,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “This funding will help support and encourage students pursuing STEM degrees, prepare them to enter the STEM workforce, and enable them to thrive in their careers. I’m excited by this development and will continue my efforts to invest in STEM education.”

“High quality STEM education is critical to ensuring that our workforce remains competitive in a rapidly evolving global economy,” said Congressman Pappas. “These federal investments will enable our outstanding universities to better prepare students to excel in careers across a range of STEM fields. I applaud the National Science Foundation for recognizing the opportunities in partnering with Dartmouth and UNH.”

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