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CSI to Receive Grant from the National Science Foundation

By Higher Logic Administrator posted 08-15-2016 04:12 PM

  

CSI to Receive Grant from the National Science Foundation

Sinclair Community College, Columbus State Community College and CSI Receive Grant from the National Science Foundation to Standardize Curriculum in Undergraduate Education

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (June 23, 2016) – A partnership including Sinclair Community College, Columbus State Community College and The Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) has been awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation, Division of Undergraduate Education.

The grant is focused on developing a standardized educational curriculum and educator's tool kit for architecture and construction management programs at two-year educational institutions. It will also be designed to provide uniformity and a nationally recognized certification system for technicians attending these institutions. The curriculum and tool kit will be based on knowledge tested by CSI's Construction Document Technologist (CDT) certificate. Students who simultaneously earn an associate degree and the CDT certification will be better able to demonstrate their ability to solve technical problems and their knowledge of design, building materials, document/project management, and effective team communication.

"This project will be transformative for the built environment," said CSI's Executive Director and CEO, Mark N. Dorsey, FASAE, CAE. "The CDT credential is already both recognized and required by many employers. It is a natural fit for this endeavor. We are thrilled to be a part of this process in moving the industry forward and helping to better prepare the industry thought leaders of tomorrow."

Also included within the scope of the grant are activities to increase the enrollment of populations traditionally underrepresented in architectural and construction management careers. Through intensive professional development, community colleges will increase their numbers of underrepresented students and begin building a culture of inclusion in STEM (science, technology, and math) programs.

"The construction trades will continue to be a vital part of our local and regional economy and the students that can excel in these fields will be the ones that fill these critical jobs," Sinclair President Steve Johnson said. "I'm excited for the opportunity to once again partner with the National Science Foundation to move this program forward."

"Construction managers have many responsibilities on a project, from need through design, construction and operational management," said Dean Bortz, M.A., CSI, CDT, Assistant Professor, Construction Management at Columbus State Community College. "Central Ohio is built and managed by Columbus State students and graduates through the Construction Management program, which has been continuously accredited by the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) since 2000. The program continues to provide entry level construction managers for all types of construction projects across the region and country. This collaboration brings design-build industry educational leaders together with CSI through the National Science Foundation to promote excellence and credentialing for the next generation of construction professionals."

Additional collaborators on the grant project are; The NSF Building Efficiency for a Sustainable Tomorrow Center and the Coalition of Community College Architecture Programs serving as national dissemination partners. The Institute for Women in Trades, Technology & Science will provide training on Women in STEM recruitment, persistence, and success strategies.

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About CSI

CSI is a national association dedicated to improving the documentation, management, and communication of building information as used by the construction community. CSI accomplishes its mission through the development of construction standards and formats such as MasterFormat and UniFormat; the promulgation of those formats through master guide specifications and building information management (BIM) software; training and certification programs, including the Construction Documents Technology (CDT) and Certified Construction Contract Administrator (CCCA) exams; publication of Construction Specifier magazine; and an ever-expanding membership of decision-makers who identify and specify building product solutions. CSI members include a cross-section of specifiers, architects, contractors, suppliers, and other construction project professionals who are touched by construction documentation. For more information, visit www.csinet.org, or call (800) 689-2900.

About Sinclair College

As one of the lowest tuition rates in Ohio, Sinclair is consistently ranked among the top community colleges in America and committed to providing quality education. Sinclair's student to faculty ratio of nineteen to one is among the lowest at any Ohio college. Students who complete degrees at Sinclair see a 114% median increase in their yearly earnings the first year after graduation; from a median annual pay of $17,500 before graduation to $37,400 the year after graduation (Source: ODJFS and NSC data). Sinclair remains the Southwest Ohio Region's primary choice for college education having awarded more degrees and certificates than any other Ohio Community College over the last 5 years (Source: Ohio Board of Regents). For more information, visit www.sinclair.edu or call (800) 315-3000.

About Columbus State Community College

The path to a debt-free degree begins at Columbus State Community College, with the lowest tuition, most degree options, and best 2+2 and 3+1 pathway agreements in the region. With a high regional demand for focused skills in the Construction Sciences and Skilled Trades, Columbus State offers students the opportunity to enter high-paying middle skills job in just two years, or transfer to a four-year institution with an average of 40 percent savings on a bachelor's degree. Columbus State also grants more professional certifications than any other Ohio college. For more information about Columbus State Community College, or to learn more about programs in the Construction Sciences, visit www.cscc.edu.

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