The Ģ����ý-East Educational Partnership Organization (Ģ����ý-East EPO) has been awarded , a national honor recognizing higher education programs and initiatives that make a meaningful impact by partnering with communities to address complex social issues.

The Ģ����ý-East EPO was selected as one of only five programs nationwide to receive this prestigious award, highlighting the ’s decade-long collaborative partnership with East High School and the broader Rochester community to improve student outcomes and strengthen educational pathways.

Established in 2015 through a partnership between URochester, the Rochester City School District (RCSD), and the New York State Education Department, the EPO was created to prevent the closure of East High School, which at the time was the lowest-performing and most persistently struggling school in New York State.

Guided by principles of collaboration, sustainability, and shared leadership, the University’s worked alongside East educators, families, and community stakeholders to co-design a comprehensive school transformation strategy. The plan emphasized high-quality teaching, culturally responsive-sustaining curriculum, and social-emotional well-being, while leveraging a transdisciplinary approach that engaged more than 15 Ģ����ý schools and departments across education, health, and workforce development.

“This recognition is a testament to the power of collaboration and our shared commitment to creating opportunities for all students to thrive,” says ’04W (MS), ’13W (EdD), vice president for community partnerships at URochester, the William and Sheila Konar Director of the Center for Urban Education Success (CUES) at the Warner School, and former East EPO superintendent. “The Ģ����ý-East EPO has not only transformed East but also demonstrated what is possible when universities and communities come together to address systemic challenges. The impact of this partnership extends far beyond the walls of East, serving as a national model for advancing access and opportunity in education. I am deeply proud of the students, families, educators, and University partners who made this transformation possible.”

Through the EPO, East educators, students, families, and Warner faculty developed and implemented a comprehensive, embedded redesign of the school. By the , East achieved measurable and sustained progress. The school’s graduation rate rose dramatically—from 33 percent when the partnership began to more than 85 percent during the course of the EPO—alongside improved student academic outcomes, increased attendance, school culture transformation, and expanded university partnerships.

“I have witnessed firsthand the transformation this partnership made possible. It stands among the most consequential and ethical examples of university–public school collaboration in the nation,” wrote Marlene Blocker, chief of innovation and school reform for RCSD and former East EPO superintendent, in a letter supporting the partnership’s nomination for the Excellence in Community-Engaged Partnerships Award. “In deep partnership with families, educators, scholars, and community stakeholders, this initiative was guided by a simple but profound belief: with sustained, high-quality teaching, culturally responsive curricula, and robust social-emotional support, every scholar can succeed. This was not a short-term intervention but a fully embedded collaborative redesign effort.”

Building on this progress, the Warner School will continue to support students’ academic success and well-being through new and ongoing initiatives. The Center for Urban Education Success, housed at Warner, will remain a hub for research, resources, and tools designed to help urban schools thrive and scale effective, community-engaged educational practices.

The is presented as part of Campus Compact’s Impact Awards, which recognize shining examples of meaningful, impactful civic and community engagement work. The recipients of these awards are recognized at , Campus Compact’s annual conference.

The Ģ����ý’s has been awarded a $1 million grant from the US Department of Education to advance accreditation and quality assurance for postsecondary certificate programs serving students with intellectual disability. The four-year grant supports a national partnership between the Warner School’s Center for Disability and Education and the (IHEAC), a newly established accrediting agency for college and university programs serving this population.

The new project, “Advancing Workforce Outcomes through Postsecondary Program Accreditation,” responds to a US Department of Education priority focused on encouraging accreditation reform through the creation of new accrediting agencies. Through this work, Ģ����ý will provide strategic leadership and infrastructure to support IHEAC’s development and pursuit of national recognition as the only accrediting body dedicated exclusively to inclusive postsecondary certificate programs for students with intellectual disability.

Creating a national framework for quality and accountability

Launched in 2023 in partnership with the Warner School’s Center for Disability and Education and the National Coordinating Center at the University of Massachusetts–Boston, IHEAC focuses on strengthening program quality, transparency, and employment outcomes for students with intellectual disability. The Center for Disability and Education played a pivotal role in implementing the IHEAC accreditation process under the leadership of , professor and director of the center, who serves as principal investigator on the grant. , assistant professor and associate director of the center, serves as co-principal investigator.

While more than 350 higher education programs currently serve over 7,000 students with intellectual disability nationwide, only four programs are accredited, and just one has received pre-accreditation candidacy status through IHEAC. The new funding will support efforts to scale IHEAC’s accreditation capacity to meet this significant national need.

“Students and their families need clear, reliable information about program quality, student learning, and employment outcomes to make informed decisions,” says Mock. “Accreditation plays a critical role in ensuring accountability, consistency, and continuous improvement across these postsecondary programs.”

Over the next four years, the Ģ����ý-IHEAC partnership will advance accreditation efforts through the following actions:

• Recruit and train a national cadre of peer reviewers to conduct accreditation site visits.
• Provide professional learning cohorts for college programs pursuing accreditation.
• Conduct accreditation reviews at a minimum of six higher education certification programs.
• Develop and disseminate targeted resources for students and families about accreditation.
• Collect feedback from programs to refine accreditation standards.
• Support IHEAC’s pursuit of national recognition through the US Department of Education and the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI).

Building on proven standards of success

The project builds on a successful collaboration between Ģ����ý and IHEAC that included the development of voluntary accreditation standards aligned with nationally recognized best practices and the completion of five pilot accreditation sites. Additional implementation sites supported by this grant will allow partners to refine standards, streamline review processes, and strengthen data systems to support accreditation and reporting.

Grant funding will support program accreditation implementation, peer reviewer training, travel to participating institutions, data management, evaluation, and the administrative infrastructure necessary to launch and sustain IHEAC as a nationally recognized accrediting agency.

Stephanie Smith Lee, IHEAC board president, says, “We are grateful to Ģ����ý for their partnership and for this grant that will make it possible to significantly expand the accreditation of inclusive postsecondary programs for students with intellectual disability, leading to program improvement and increased employment and community living for the students.”

The Ģ����ý-IHEAC partnership is funded by the US Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of , which supports innovative projects addressing urgent national needs in postsecondary education. These priorities will support four areas of national need, including: expanding the use of artificial intelligence, protecting and promoting civil discourse on college and university campuses, encouraging accreditation reform, and building capacity for high-quality short-term programs.

The Ģ����ý and have set a playdate. Announced today, the institutions are creating a partnership that will advance research, education, and community engagement focused on the study of play and games.

Through this collaboration, Ģ����ý faculty, staff, and students will have new opportunities to develop joint research initiatives, organize conferences, and create exhibits that explore the history, cultural significance, and societal impact of play and games, using the museum’s world-renowned collections, exhibitions, and expertise. The partnership will also support newly developed degrees and educational programs, including courses, workshops, lectures, and field trips designed to enrich the academic experience and strengthen community connections.

The Strong will provide Ģ����ý classes with special access to its collections and offer staff-led field trips each year, and the two institutions will also co-present at regional, national, and international conferences, further establishing Rochester as a leader in play and games scholarship and innovation.

Together, Ģ����ý and The Strong will also explore ways to promote Rochester and New York State as centers for play and game development. By combining the University’s academic excellence with The Strong’s unparalleled resources, the partnership aims to attract scholars, industry leaders, and enthusiasts to the region—fostering creativity, innovation, and economic growth.

“This partnership marks an important advancement in how we support interdisciplinary scholarship and deepen our engagement with the broader community,” says Provost Nicole Sampson. “Collaborating with The Strong Museum allows us to expand opportunities for our students, faculty, and staff to examine the role of play and games as powerful drivers of creativity, learning, and innovation.”

Unlocking the power of play

Located in the heart of the city of Rochester, The Strong is home to the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of materials related to play, including toys, dolls, games, video games, and other artifacts.

“The Strong National Museum of Play and Ģ����ý have worked together on many programs and projects over the years, but this partnership opens exciting opportunities for students and staff at both organizations to collaborate and share ideas and resources to advance play and game studies, develop exhibits and programs, and build Rochester as a truly global center for play,” says Jon-Paul Dyson, senior vice president for exhibits and interpretive resources at The Strong.

The University’s will play a key role in this partnership through its Center for Professional Development and Education Reform, led by . Leveraging its expertise in education and learning, the center will ensure that the partnership’s initiatives are accessible, impactful, and aligned with the broader mission of promoting learning through play.

“We are opening the door to new kinds of collaboration between educators, researchers, and museum professionals,” says Daley. “Together, we can develop hands-on learning experiences that help students and community partners understand the many ways play shapes how we learn, connect, and imagine what’s possible.”

Game on

This partnership builds on a long history of collaboration between Ģ����ý and The Strong:

• The partners with the museum on , including on-site performances.

• , a professor in the and the , partners with The Strong on projects that help children learn through games and play-based activities. He uses these insights to inform exhibits on biological variability and to study visual representations, such as lifecycle and genetic diagrams, in enhancing STEM learning. Each semester, Rosengren and , a senior lecturer in psychology and in brain and cognitive sciences, bring research methods classes to the museum to design and conduct research evaluating visitors’ experiences with specific exhibits.

• The ’s incorporates observation of healthy children at play into its clinical rotations, with a focus on inclusive and accessible play opportunities for all children.

• Kristana Textor, a lecturer in the and the —and a Warner doctoral candidate—facilitates out-of-classroom learning experiences that allow undergraduates to explore games scholarship and design at a professional level.

Across rural America, schools serve as the heart of their communities—centers of learning, connection, and opportunity. Educators wear many hats, fostering close relationships with students and families while adapting creatively to meet a range of learning needs. Yet these same communities also face persistent challenges, including declining enrollment, limited resources, and ongoing educator shortages, all of which can limit rural students’ opportunities.

According to the , rural public schools serve roughly 20 percent of America’s students. Despite their vital role, rural education has often been overlooked in national education research and policy. The at the Ģ����ý is working to change that—partnering with districts; preparing and supporting teachers, counselors, and leaders; and championing innovation and access where it’s most needed.

“At Warner, we believe in the power of education to transform lives,” says , interim dean of the Warner School and a professor in the . “This belief is especially important in rural areas, where schools are the foundation of community life yet often face challenges tied to isolation and limited resources. Our faculty, students, and partners are dedicated to helping these communities flourish through education, leadership, and innovation.”

Through longstanding partnerships and programs, Warner faculty members and researchers support rural communities in many ways, including collaborating with rural partners to expand STEM teaching capacity, strengthening professional development, and growing the school-based mental health workforce. Even in the summer, Warner’s science camp brings authentic, hands-on learning to rural students, nurturing curiosity, confidence, and community pride.

Strengthening mental health support

, an assistant professor of counseling and human development, leads the , a regional initiative—which will soon expand statewide—addressing the critical shortage of mental health support in rural schools in the Finger Lakes and Monroe County regions.

Launched in 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic through the Mental Health Demonstration Project grant awarded to the Sodus Central School District, WWC began by increasing the pipeline of social workers in rural districts. Under Lustica’s leadership—first as a Warner doctoral student and now as a faculty member—the program expanded to include counselors, psychologists, and licensed mental health counselors, creating a multidisciplinary approach to student wellness. Partnering with institutions like Warner, WWC established a robust internship program that trains graduate students while placing them directly in rural schools to provide much-needed services.

“We teach our interns to collaborate across disciplines to maximize the services kids receive,” says Lustica. “Our model breaks down silos and fosters teamwork to better serve students with social-emotional supports in under-resourced communities.”

WWC addresses the challenges of rural schools, where provider-to-student ratios often fall far below national recommendations. By funding internships and stipends for interns and supervisors, WWC makes mental health services accessible to students who might otherwise face transportation or provider barriers. To date, the program has successfully placed more than 175 interns in rural schools—nearly 90 percent of whom were hired by their districts—significantly easing the workforce shortage.

Beyond recruitment, WWC focuses on retention and sustainability. It offers professional development tailored to rural providers, quarterly roundtables on evidence-based practices, and free continuing education units (CEUs). A coaching program pairs seasoned professionals with newcomers to reduce burnout and build confidence. The innovative “Grow Your Own Mental Health” curriculum introduces high school students to mental health professions through dual-credit courses, sparking early interest in the field.

Looking ahead, WWC aims to expand statewide through partnerships with BOCES and the New York State Office of Mental Health, ensuring this vital work continues.

“When K–12 schools, higher education, and community agencies come together like this, we can help a lot of kids and families,” Lustica says.

Preparing school leaders

Warner has been a driving force in preparing school leaders to serve rural communities across New York through accessible programs. Its equip educators with the credentials and skills to lead effectively in K–12 settings.

“We believe deeply in Warner’s mission to prepare practitioners and researchers who make the world more just and human,” says , the Earl B. Taylor Professor and cochair of educational leadership. “To do that, we need to reach candidates where they are.”

Warner’s Wayne-Finger Lakes Institute, established two decades ago with Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES, exemplifies this mission. By matching SUNY tuition rates, Warner removed financial barriers for aspiring leaders.

This model was later replicated in the Geneva and Southern Tier regions, where Warner faculty traveled to Olean, New York, to teach—a testament to the school’s commitment to access. Today, these programs are offered fully online, allowing candidates across the state to easily balance their professional roles while advancing education.

Warner’s leadership programs go beyond certification. Faculty tailor coursework to the specific challenges of rural districts, fostering community, collaboration, and a shared commitment to improving local schools.

Since expanding access to the Wayne-Finger Lakes region 20 years ago, more than 100 leaders in that area have earned their SBL/SDL certifications from the Warner School. Additionally, Warner’s K–12 educational leadership candidates have maintained an exceptional completion rate and an average pass rate of 95 percent on state certification exams, which is a strong reflection of the program’s quality and effectiveness.

Expanding science learning

Warner also supports rural education through informal science programs such as , which includes the Planet Protectors Sodus Summer Camp. This annual program enriches science education for middle and high school students while giving pre-service teachers meaningful, hands-on teaching experiences.

Created and led by , an associate professor of teaching and curriculum and the director of the science teacher education program, Get Real! Science builds authentic partnerships in rural communities through immersive, hands-on science investigations. Participants engage in research projects that connect learning to local environments and community issues. For example, students have collected and compared soil samples from fields that farmers describe as growing “good” versus “great” strawberries, tested water quality in nearby drainage ditches that students once drank from and described as “better than Gatorade,” explored local invasive species using the citizen science app iNaturalist, and analyzed sand and water samples from a nearby bay to study microplastics.

“We start with their needs and what makes them special,” Luehmann says. “We listen first, then build science around what matters most to them in their community.”

The program’s rural focus began a decade ago when alumna Ellen Lloyd ’10W (EdD) invited Luehmann and her graduate students to visit Sodus Jr./Sr. High School in Wayne County, east of Rochester. Together, they later created community-based science camp experiences exploring issues such as water quality, invasive species, and microplastics. Students share their findings at public showcases.

“These experiences not only build scientific literacy but also empower students to take pride in their community and see themselves as active contributors to its well-being,” Luehmann adds. “When kids teach adults about what they’ve learned, it’s a powerful form of community education.”

Since moving to Sodus, the camp has served nearly 300 students and trained more than 50 pre-service teachers. Luehmann has also partnered with the Marion Central School District, also in Wayne County, to integrate similar hands-on investigations into the eighth-grade Life Science and twelfth-grade AP Biology curricula. Together with two Warner graduates, Luehmann co-designed a five-week science investigation project in which AP Biology students published their research in the Journal of Emerging Investigators.

These experiences build scientific literacy and empower students to see themselves as scientists and contributors to their communities.

Supporting mathematics education

Through and programs, Warner has made significant strides in rural mathematics education. Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), these programs have provided multi-year professional development to about 70 rural educators, helping them strengthen instruction and mentor peers. Collectively, these teacher-leaders reach hundreds of students annually in their classrooms and benefit thousands more through their coaching.

“In rural areas, it’s harder for teachers to access high-quality professional learning because they’re farther from universities and have fewer colleagues nearby,” says , a professor of teaching and curriculum. “SyncOn bridges that gap through synchronous, online professional development tailored to rural educators.”

The models developed through SyncOn have been adopted in other states, creating a ripple effect that broadens their reach. Building on this success, Choppin’s , funded by NSF in 2023, studies the conditions and challenges of rural middle school mathematics education to inform future professional learning.

Warner aims to build on this work by fostering networks among rural educators, exploring innovative tools such as AI for teacher feedback, and ensuring that rural students have access to rigorous, high-quality mathematics instruction.

Expanding STEM learning through strategic partnerships

The Center for Professional Development and Education Reform (CPDER) extends Warner’s reach through partnerships with BOCES and other organizations. One key initiative, the NSF Noyce Master Teaching Fellowship (MTF) program, evolved during the pandemic to become more accessible to rural educators.

“We learned how to better serve and develop leaders in rural communities,” says , CPDER director and an associate professor (clinical). “The program now connects teachers across Idaho and New York, fostering a network of teacher-leaders driving impactful changes in their communities.”

For instance, Jonathan Pragle, a Noyce MTF alum who is now a teacher at the Marcus Whitman Central School District in Ontario County, established a maple sugar operation on campus that engages students from kindergarten through high school in hands-on science.

“He [Pragle] really uses the resources of a rural community, highlighting the program’s emphasis on leveraging local assets,” Daley says.

Nearly 70 teachers have participated in the Noyce MTF, almost half from rural districts. The has also emerged as a powerful platform for collaboration, hosting conferences and workshops that connect educators across the region.

“We built the Network to be accessible to all STEM teachers in the Northeast through purposeful design,” Daley says. “Traveling to a major city for a conference can be very challenging for teachers in rural communities. We made sure there were opportunities close to them, along with online professional learning opportunities.”

CPDER’s Teacher Leadership Cadres, offered in partnership with Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES and BOCES 4 Science, provide powerful professional learning experiences for teacher leaders in math, science, and social studies. In addition, the Center’s Leadership Coaching programs—developed in collaboration with Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES, Erie 2-Chautauqua Cattaraugus BOCES, and Greater Southern Tier BOCES—serve about 200 leaders each year, including those from 20 rural districts, helping schools identify strengths, address needs, and sustain growth.

Most recently, Warner and Boise State University received an NSF grant, supported by the Micron Foundation, to .

“I am from a rural community, and I connect deeply with the challenges rural districts face,” says Daley, who recently became a board member of the Rural Schools Association of New York.

Through these collective efforts, Warner continues to bridge higher education and rural schools—advancing opportunity, innovation, and leadership across New York State and beyond.

The Ģ����ý and Boise State University have been awarded a $2.1 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), supported by funding from the , to empower K–12 STEM educators to become leaders in the rapidly expanding microelectronics and semiconductor industries in New York and Idaho.

Over the next five years, the initiative will strengthen STEM teacher leadership across both states, equipping highly trained educators to implement K–12 STEM programs that inspire all students to see themselves in STEM and explore opportunities in the microelectronics and semiconductor industries. The project will focus on fostering teacher leadership, student engagement, and educational pathways to support the emerging microelectronics ecosystem in both states.

“We are thrilled to be part of this capacity-building initiative that will empower K–12 STEM educators to shape the next generation of leaders in the semiconductor industry,” says Rosita Najmi, Micron’s global head of social impact and community engagement, and executive director of the Micron Foundation. “When industry, government, and educators come together like Micron has with the National Science Foundation and the URochester, we not only accelerate progress and enhance the technical capabilities of institutions and stakeholders, but also exponentially increase access to quality STEM education for the leaders of tomorrow.”

STEM teacher-leaders provide ‘critical foundation’

, an associate professor and the director of the Center for Professional Development and Education Reform at the Ģ����ý’s , emphasizes the importance of STEM teacher-leaders. “K-12 STEM teachers provide a critical foundation for regional innovation industries,” says Daley, who is the principal investigator on the grant. “They play key roles in schools by developing curricula, offering professional learning, and fostering community and industry partnerships. Supporting their leader development is essential for high-quality STEM instruction and future innovation.”

“It is about preparing STEM teachers to be leaders for the rapidly expanding microelectronics or semiconductor ecosystems in Idaho and New York,” adds fellow principal investigator Krishna Pakala, an associate professor of mechanical and biomedical engineering and the associate chair for the Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering at Boise State University. “Fifteen STEM teachers—eight from Idaho and seven from New York—will undergo leadership training at their respective universities.”

The project brings together a diverse team from both institutions. In addition to Daley, Ģ����ý co-principal investigators include , professor of chemical engineering and distinguished scientist at the University’s ; Cynthia Callard, professor and associate dean for graduate studies at the Warner School; and Jennifer Kruger, director of mathematics education outreach at the Warner School’s Center for Professional Development and Education Reform (CPDER). Additionally, CPDER staff members Michael Occhino, director of science education outreach, and Angela Messenger, associate director of mathematics education outreach, will serve as senior personnel.

Building local ecosystems and industry capacity

In addition to empowering educators, the grant aims to strengthen domestic capacity for the microelectronics and semiconductor industries while supporting companies headquartered in Idaho and New York. The universities will collaborate with rural and urban high-need school districts in their respective states, the at the URochester, and the Microelectronics Education and Research Center at Boise State University. Partnerships will also include nonprofit organizations such as the Idaho STEM Action Center, the Idaho Rural Schools Association, and The Story Collider.

The collaborative effort with the federal government underscores the commitment of the Ģ����ý and Boise State to advancing STEM education, fostering innovation, and preparing the next generation of leaders in microelectronics and semiconductors.

“Both Idaho and New York are facing critical moments in STEM education as significant federal and private investments are being made in both states to expand semiconductor and microelectronics manufacturing in the United States,” shares Warner School Dean Melissa Sturge-Apple. “We are deeply grateful to the National Science Foundation for awarding this funding and to Congress for recognizing the importance of programs like this. Strong STEM teacher leaders are needed to bridge K–12 teaching and learning with regional STEM workforce opportunities and needs.”

The Ģ����ý is a lead partner on the New York Semiconductor Manufacturing and Research Technology Innovation Corridor (SMART I-Corridor) that spans the Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse region.

“We are excited to partner with the Warner School on this important regional effort to grow the microelectronics and semiconductor industries through the Noyce STEM teacher leadership project,” says Wendi Heinzelman, dean of the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences. “This will introduce new collaborative activities to provide a pathway for STEM teachers to make connections to leading researchers in the field.”

This project is funded through the NSF’s and supported in part by funds from the Micron Foundation. The Noyce program supports talented STEM undergraduate majors and professionals in becoming effective K–12 STEM teachers, as well as experienced K–12 teachers in becoming STEM master teachers in high-need school districts. It also supports research on the effectiveness and retention of K–12 STEM teachers in these districts.

Elected officials and leaders voice support for the partnership

US Senator Charles Schumer: “This $2.1 million federal investment will help prepare the teachers who inspire students to see themselves in STEM and connect them to the future opportunities being created in Upstate New York’s booming microelectronics and semiconductor industries. From Micron’s historic investment to Upstate New York’s federal designation as a semiconductor Tech Hub, one of only 31 in the nation, we are building a framework that will lead the world in advanced manufacturing and research and development. However, none of that is possible without the educators who spark curiosity, train young minds, and open doors for every student to learn facts and science. I am extremely proud to deliver this funding to the Ģ����ý and its partners so we can grow the teacher-leaders who will power our STEM workforce and cement Upstate New York as a global semiconductor powerhouse.”

US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand: “Equipping K-12 students with the tools they need for careers in science and technology is one of the most critical actions we can take to ready the next generation of STEM leaders. I am thrilled that the URochester is receiving funding to do just that, and am pleased the National Science Foundation recognizes the strength of New York to help lead this effort. With the Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse Tech Hub designation and Micron’s planned investment in New York State, our semiconductor and microelectronic industries will benefit from a pipeline of future STEM professionals. I look forward to working with University leadership to see the great things that come out of this programming and funding.”

Congressman Joe Morelle: “The Ģ����ý is one of the cornerstones of our community, providing students and researchers with the tools they need to succeed in leading-edge technological fields. This award from the National Science Foundation highlights UR’s strong commitment to research and innovation. I’m grateful to the National Science Foundation for their continued investment in science and technology, and I look forward to all the opportunities that arise from this partnership.”

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney: “I congratulate the Ģ����ý on receiving this NSF award to strengthen STEM teacher leadership. By preparing educators to inspire the next generation of innovators, this initiative will open pathways for students into careers in semiconductors and microelectronics. These industries are vital to our economic future and national security. This grant will complement Micron’s historic investment in Central New York and reinforces Upstate New York’s role at the heart of America’s growing semiconductor ecosystem.”

Joseph Stefko, president and CEO of OneROC and Regional Innovation Officer for the NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub: “Congratulations to the Ģ����ý and Boise State University on this well-deserved NSF award. By empowering K–12 STEM teachers to become leaders, this initiative advances the foundation for the talent pipeline that will fuel the semiconductor and microelectronics industries of the future. It directly aligns with the NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub’s mission to expand workforce capacity, strengthen the regional ecosystem, and secure Upstate New York’s leadership in this critical industry. We are proud to celebrate this partnership and look forward to the impact it will have on both students and our region’s economic growth.”