This is a collaborative project across the following institutions: Hobart and William Smith College, University of Maine at Farmington, Albany College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Montgomery College, Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology, and Ohio Wesleyan University. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, over the next decade, STEM occupations are forecast to grow faster than the total for all occupations, leave a talent shortage for industries to fill nearly 3.5 million STEM jobs by 2029. In addition, there is a growing disconnect between what STEM students learn in college and what employers expect new graduates to be able to do. Some employers find recent graduates lack soft skills like problem solving, critical thinking, and written and oral communication; others find students to be unfamiliar with the practical and technical skills needed for their day-to-day work.
This collaborative EPIIC project defines a process to address these issues at the academic institutions participating in this project. Cohort institutions will work together grow industry partnerships, improve alignment of program curricula with industry needs, and enhance faculty skills and knowledge of emerging technologies. Through this EPIIC project, the collaborating institutions will build relationships with industry experts and government agencies to find out what skills and knowledge are needed for STEM jobs in their fields. The cohort will use this information to modify and enhance college courses and curricular structure with industry needs in mind so students are prepared for jobs right out of college.
At the same time, skills training for faculty must be provided so instructors are prepared to teach the enhanced course content and multiple degree pathways must be created so students with diverse preparation and life situations will graduate. Project participants will also communicate to students clearly and effectively about how and why their education will prepare them for the STEM careers they want, thus building the workforce this country needs. Each academic institution in the diverse cohort, which includes two small liberal arts colleges, two 2-year technical colleges, a primarily undergraduate state university, and a 4-year college offering specialized undergraduate and graduate degrees, has developed an individualized plan to implement this process.
The participating institutions will exchange information and work together as a cohort to enhance each institution's capacity for building external partnerships. This process will position the institutions to further deepen engagement with industry and enhance their contributions to their regional innovation ecosystems. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
The NSF EPIIC award enables the Stack Family Center for Biopharmaceutical Education and Training (CBET) at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (ACPHS) to expand its role as a regional hub for biotechnology workforce development and innovation. EPIIC funding supports CBET in strengthening partnerships with two- and four-year colleges, biotech startups, and small companies to create collaborative training programs, shared research opportunities, and seamless career pathways in biomanufacturing and bioprocessing.
With this support, CBET will enhance its existing talent pipeline—which spans from middle school STEM programs to graduate degrees and post-graduate fellowships—by developing new articulation agreements, industry-aligned micro-credentials, and internship networks designed to meet the needs of New York's growing bioeconomy. Additionally, EPIIC funding will help CBET maximize the use of its state-of-the-art facilities and expertise to provide technical training, contract research, and proof-of-concept support for emerging biotech companies. These efforts will directly address regional workforce shortages and position CBET as a key contributor to national bioindustrial innovation and capacity-building initiatives.
Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology
Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology brings its mission of advancing equity in technical education to the EmpowerEd EPIIC cohort. With a student body primarily composed of first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students, the institute will use its EPIIC funding to deepen industry partnerships, align curricula with real-world workforce needs, and prepare students for careers in high-demand technology sectors. This work builds on the institute’s strength in hands-on technical training and commitment to bridging the gap between classroom learning and industry expectations.
Hobart & William Smith Colleges
As a liberal arts institution with a strong foundation in STEM, Hobart and William Smith Colleges are using their EPIIC award to integrate liberal arts thinking with technical skills demanded by the 21st-century workforce. Faculty leaders are spearheading collaborative efforts to enhance curricula with input from industry and government partners, ensuring that students are equipped with both critical soft skills and practical, technical expertise. Through EmpowerEd, HWS will advance innovation capacity across the region and contribute to building a more agile and inclusive STEM workforce.
Montgomery College
Montgomery College, a public two-year institution with a longstanding dedication to accessibility and equity, is leveraging its EPIIC award to strengthen STEM pathways for traditionally underrepresented students. The college will build deeper relationships with industry partners to align programs with workforce needs, while also enhancing faculty training in emerging technologies. Through EmpowerEd, Montgomery College will create scalable and inclusive models for STEM education that can serve as blueprints for other community colleges nationwide.
Ohio Wesleyan University
Ohio Wesleyan University is using its EPIIC funding to build the EmpowerEd framework, integrating practical STEM training with the strengths of a liberal arts education. Through structured internships and partnerships with corporate mentors in central Ohio, OWU aims to close the gap between academic preparation and job market readiness. Faculty will collaborate closely with students and industry leaders to ensure that graduates are not only technically capable but also equipped with the critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills that today’s STEM careers demand.
University of Maine at Farmington
The University of Maine at Farmington aims to leverage the NSF EPIIC award to increase innovation capacity and training in biotechnology within the state of Maine. Working with in-state and regional partners, such as The Roux Institute and biotechnology companies, we will develop new and innovative pathways to train students for biotech careers and build capacity to contribute to this expanding field. We are also broadly interested in collaborative work to further develop novel educational pathways and career pipelines in emerging areas, through recruitment efforts, articulation agreements, micro-credentials, and internship opportunities.
