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Canisius University is the recipient of a three-year, $350,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).  The grant will fund Connect Four, an initiative aimed at strengthening connections and collaborations between higher education and the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) industry to address the critical shortage of STEM professionals in the United States.  

“Most available estimates predict a STEM worker shortfall in the U.S. ranging between a few hundred thousand and several million workers,” says Justin Del Vecchio, PhD, cybersecurity program director and principal investigator on the project.  “This grant provides a tremendous opportunity for Canisius to ensure that what we teach in the classroom aligns with what is needed in the real world.” 

Del Vecchio explains that Canisius will collaborate on the Connect Four project with Albion College, Northwest Arkansas Community College and Roanoke College to achieve four key aims:

•    Build stronger partnerships with local businesses, non-profits, government agencies and other educational institutions 
•    Prepare faculty to better understand and teach the skills needed in today’s workforce 
•    Improve communication between the university and critical stakeholder groups including potential student employers 
•    Create a sustainable and repeatable model for collaboration that can be used long-term

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