Raritan Valley Community College has been awarded a $75,000 grant from the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) to create a weeklong summer immersion program exploring careers in the biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry.
The residential 2023 NIIMBL Summer eXperience program, which will run Saturday, June 10, through Friday, June 16, will serve African American/Black, Latinx, and Native American college students. The program is designed to build self-confidence in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education; motivate students to pursue careers in biomanufacturing or the life sciences; and provide networking opportunities with industry professionals.
Current college freshmen and sophomores attending two-year or four-year institutions and majoring in STEM subjects are invited to apply. There is no cost to participate in the program, and room and board are provided. The program will be hosted at RVCC’s Branchburg campus and transportation will be provided for multiple off-campus experiences. Participants will be housed at a nearby hotel and awarded a $500 stipend.
Through a series of industry tours, networking events, and one-on-one coaching sessions, students will foster a professional mind-set, build confidence in understanding how to navigate corporate culture, and enhance clarity and confidence in defining their career and educational goals. In addition, Windy Paz-Amor, RVCC’s director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), will conduct workshops designed to engage and enlighten students about DEI issues.
The NIIMBL eXperience program is designed to provide students from diverse backgrounds access to corporate exposure, professional branding, and personal development, empowering them to feel confident and motivated to achieve their academic and professional aspirations. To goal is to create a future pipeline of skilled biomanufacturing technicians, increased access and support is required to recruit, motivate, and educate under-represented populations.
RVCC joins Albany College (ACPHS) in New York and BioKansas in the Kansas/Missouri Region as one of only three locations in the country to be funded for the NIMBL eXperience.
The deadline for registration is Jan. 20, at 5 p.m. Those interesting in applying for the program should go to NIIMBL’s website here.
For additional information about the NIIMBL Summer eXperience program at RVCC, including eligibility criteria, visit www.raritanval.edu/niimblexperience or contact Tamara Jones at tamara.jones@raritanval.edu or Jacki Belin at jacki.belin@raritanval.edu.
