Indiana University Northwest celebrated its latest campus addition with a ribbon cutting ceremony Nov. 29.
The university’s new STEM Center, in Anderson library, serves IU Northwest and Ivy Tech students. It’s a hub designed to connect students to internships, peer mentoring and leadership roles. The center’s role is to help equip students for success in STEM fields.
The center was made possible by a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Hispanic Serving Institution Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math and Articulation Program.
“This grant is a testament to IU Northwest’s leadership in creating opportunities for the people of Northwest Indiana,” Chancellor Ken Iwama said in a press release. “Establishing a center of excellence for STEM education is an ambitious goal, and this grant brings us closer to realizing this game-changing community asset.”
The grant funds a program called TRIUNFOS (Transforming IU Northwest for Opportunities in STEM). The Spanish word “triunfos” translates to “triumphs” in English. The program addresses curriculum redesign, support services, community partnerships and enhanced infrastructure.
The goal is to boost the number of graduates in STEM fields among students in Northwest Indiana. The grant particularly focuses on Hispanic and low-income individuals.
“Congratulations to Chancellor Iwama and the leaders of IU Northwest for successfully identifying and obtaining this federal resource,” said Rep. Frank Mrvan. “I am grateful for their commitment to enhancing educational opportunities for Hispanic students and all individuals in our Region.”
IU Northwest is a Hispanic-Serving Institution designated by the Department of Education. It is the most diverse of all IU campuses, with a student body that is 26 percent Hispanic and 17 percent African American.
