Whatcom Community College receives $1,918,000 NSF grant to award STEM scholarships to talented, low-income students

Bellingham, Washington, September 25, 2025 – Whatcom Community College (WCC) has been awarded a $1.9 million National Science Foundation (NSF) S-STEM grant to support low-income students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The grant duration is six years and follows a previous $650,000 “STEM Excellence through Engagement in Collaboration, Research, and Scholarship" (SEECRS) grant that WCC successfully used to support 51 students between 2017 and 2022. Today, those SEECRS scholars are working across the country as mechanical, aeronautical, and civil engineers; material scientists; chemists; geologists; and biologists. They are employed at multinational companies that include Marathon Oil, General Dynamics, and PACCAR Inc., as well as dozens of smaller local employers that include Herrera Environmental Consultants and Team Corporation.

The new SEECRS-2 grant builds on the successes of that initial grant, with many of the same WCC faculty and staff involved. The 96 students selected for this program will receive dedicated advising, opportunities to engage in research, faculty mentors, and scholarships worth up to $15,000. The grant leadership team comprise Lauren Maniatis, WCC Biology instructor; Liz Johnson, WCC Dean for Healthcare Professions, Sciences, Engineering & Math; Tawny Townsend, WCC Director of Academic Advising & Career Services; and Jason Babcock, WCC Learning Center Director.

 
Above photo, left to right: Members of the SEECRS grant leadership team: Liz Johnson, WCC Dean for Healthcare Professions, Sciences, Engineering & Math; Jason Babcock, WCC Learning Center Director; and Lauren Maniatis, WCC Biology Faculty. Not pictured: Tawny Townsend, WCC Director of Academic Advising & Career Services.

In highlighting the importance of the grant for the local community, WCC’s President, Dr. Justin Guillory noted, “This grant represents our commitment to ensuring that talented students, regardless of their financial backgrounds, have the opportunity to succeed and contribute to the future of STEM industries. It’s not just about providing an education; it’s about investing in the future leaders of innovation and research.” He went on to share, “WCC is honored to be recognized for actively working to remove barriers around STEM education for our students.”

Jason Babcock, WCC Learning Center Director shared, “There are many students in this county who are extremely talented and who could be working in high paying STEM careers in the region, or starting high tech businesses in the area, but they are limited by financial constraints that prevent them from pursuing the necessary education. This program aims to help those students realize their potential by employing strategies with a demonstrated ability to promote persistence with substantial financial support.”

About Whatcom: Whatcom Community College (WCC) in Bellingham, Washington, is regularly recognized as one of the top community colleges in the nation for student outcomes. The College is a destination for cybersecurity, healthcare, and business studies and offers three bachelor of applied science degrees, transfer degrees, career and workforce preparation, online & hybrid courses, and community education classes. New high school graduates, laid-off workers, seasoned employees, future university students—all students count on WCC to support their academic and career goals. For more information, visit www.whatcom.edu.

Media Contact & Public Information Officer: Marni Saling Mayer, PIO, and Director of Communication & Marketing,  msmayer@whatcom.edu, Phone: 360.383.3312.