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State honors local tech and math programs with cash awards

Krista Almanzan

A fledgling computer science program that’s putting students from the Salinas Valley on a path to Silicon Valley careers has been honored by the state for its innovation.

Today California’s Committee on Awards for Innovation in Higher Education awarded Hartnell College and Cal State Monterey Bay $5-million for its CSIT-in-3 Program (computer science and information technology). CSUMB is KAZU’s parent institution.

In this intensive three year bachelor’s degree program, students split their course load between Hartnell and CSUMB. By using both a community college and a 4 year CSU campus   the cost of a Bachelor’s degree was kept to around $12,000.  The first class of CSIT-in-3 students graduates in 2016.  (see links below for KAZU's  coverage of CSIT-in-3)

The state also awarded CSUMB $3-million for a program called Math@CSUMB. It’s a program which has improved the success rate among students who have to take developmental math their freshman year.

In all the state award $50-million to 14 different programs. The Awards for Innovation in Higher Education were part of  last year’s state budget.

According to a press release from Governor Jerry Brown’s office, the awards recognize programs that: “significantly increase the number of bachelor's degrees awarded; allow students to complete bachelor's degrees within four years after beginning higher education; and ease transfer through the state's education system by better recognizing learning that occurs across the state's education segments and elsewhere.”

You can see a complete list of all winners here.

Krista joined KAZU in 2007. She is an award winning journalist with more than a decade of broadcast experience. Her stories have won regional Edward R. Murrow Awards and honors from the Northern California Radio and Television News Directors Association. Prior to working at KAZU, Krista reported in Sacramento for Capital Public Radio and at television stations in Iowa. Like KAZU listeners, Krista appreciates the in-depth, long form stories that are unique to public radio. She's pleased to continue that tradition in the Monterey Bay Area.
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