Today, a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) degree equals career opportunity. Whatcom Community College in Bellingham, WA strengthens the local and regional talent pool in these critically important fields through relevant degrees and certificates, scholarship opportunities, and programs for middle and high school students. In October, WCC will celebrate I ♥ STEM Month with a series of events open to the public. Highlights include an Oct. 5 Chuckanut Radio Hour with author Nathalia Holt in partnership with Village Books and a free screening of the TED Talks on PBS film “Science & Wonder” at Pickford Film Center on Oct. 17. Celebrate STEM and learn more about Whatcom’s programs by attending these October events (all events are free and located on WCC’s campus unless otherwise noted): Oct. 5: Chuckanut Radio Hour with Dr. Natalia Holt, author of “Rise of the Rocket Girls,” in Heiner Theater. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., seating for the show starts at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $5, tickets and more information available at villagebooks.com Oct. 11: Western Washington University engineering program information session for transfer students in Laidlaw Center 121, 2:30-4:30 p.m. Oct. 11: WCC Cybersecurity Center dedication ceremony at Baker Hall, 4:30 p.m. Oct. 17: TED Talks on PBS: “Science & Wonder” film screening at Pickford Film Center, 6:30 p.m. Reserve your free ticket at the Pickford box office. Oct. 24: Engineering major information session in Laidlaw Center 121, 11 a.m. General major and career information session in Laidlaw Center 211, 1-2:30 p.m. Oct. 25: Western Washington University majors fair for WCC students in the Pavilion, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Biology and chemistry major information session in Laidlaw Center 121, 1-2:30 p.m. Recent WCC achievements STEM: Whatcom is the lead institution of CyberWatch West, one of only four National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded centers in the nation dedicated to cybersecurity education. WCC ranked third in the state (behind University of Washington and Washington State University) and 150th in the nation in fiscal year 2015 grant funding from the NSF. The most recent awards (totaling more than $600,000) recognize WCC’s excellence and innovation in STEM education. The College’s first four-year degree, a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in IT Networking, began this fall. The Aspen Institute ranks WCC among the top nine community and technical colleges in Washington and among the top 150 in the nation, based on successful student outcomes. About Whatcom: Whatcom Community College is a regionally and nationally accredited college with an accomplished faculty and staff who serve 11,000 students annually. On its campus in Bellingham, Wash., and through online courses, Whatcom offers transfer and professional-technical degrees as well as basic education, job skills training, and community education classes. The College is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2017. For more information, visit whatcom.edu/50. Contact: Marisa Ellis, Whatcom Community College PIO, 360.383.3310, pio@whatcom.edu
