NOVA Receives $900K from Mandel Fdtn. to Create Micro-Pathways for Equitable Student Workforce Outcomes
NOVA has been awarded a three-year, $900,000 grant by the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation to establish a Humanities-to-Career Program, which will seek to strengthen humanities/liberal arts (HLA) pathways in community colleges through intentional career preparation. With this generous grant, languages, arts and social sciences faculty at NOVA will develop and implement a model that creates micro-pathways and credentials within the curricula that identify career-readiness skills desired by employers.
The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Humanities-to-Career Program reflects NOVA’s commitment to improve graduation and career outcomes for all students while strengthening Virginia’s career-ready workforce. Access to micro-internship opportunities that provide students with relevant work experience is a key aspect of the project.
“NOVA is nationally recognized for connecting students to academic and workforce pathways that result in meaningful economic returns,” said Anne M. Kress, president of NOVA. “We are grateful to the Mandel Foundation for this important investment in our students who will come to the regional workforce with a greater level of the essential skills and abilities gained through an education in the humanities.”
The project will be led by Dr. Eun-Woo Chang, vice president of academic affairs and chief academic officer; J.K. Daniels, interim AVP of academic affairs; Hemchand Gossai, interim dean of languages, arts, and social sciences and NOVA’s outstanding humanities faculty.
“Our students are dynamic and resilient, and we must meet them where they are in their busy lives as they pursue educational success,” said Dr. Eun-Woo Chang. “So many of our working students don’t have the opportunity to participate in critical internships as they work to provide for their families and also attend school. These innovative micro-internships are flexible, attainable and will offer more opportunities for our students.”
Submitted by:
Hoang Nguyen, Assoc. Director of External Comms., HDNguyen@nvcc.edu