Chemeketa Community College Plays Key Role In Oregon’s Selection For National Workforce And Reentry Initiative - 01/14/26

Jobs for the Future partnership strengthens education-to-employment pathways for justice-impacted Oregonians

Salem, Ore., January 14, 2026 — Chemeketa Community College is proud to support Oregon’s participation in a new national initiative funded by Jobs for the Future (JFF) aimed at expanding education and workforce pathways for individuals with histories of incarceration.

Oregon was selected as one of four states nationwide to join the Fair Chance to Advance (FC2A) State Action Networks, a multi-year effort focused on aligning education, workforce, and employment systems so justice-impacted individuals can access meaningful opportunities for economic mobility. The highly competitive selection process included applications from more than 30 states.

The initiative is led by the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) in partnership with the Oregon Department of Corrections and the Oregon Employment Department, with colleges, workforce providers, and community partners across the state contributing to the work. Chemeketa plays an important role in supporting education, training, and workforce connections that help individuals transition successfully from custody to community.

Over the next four years, Oregon will receive up to $2.1 million in funding, along with technical assistance and access to a national learning network. The work will focus on unifying inter-agency data systems, strengthening reporting and decision-making, expanding education-to-employment pathways, and sustaining and growing in-prison WorkSource Oregon Reentry Centers as a critical bridge to post-release employment.

“Chemeketa’s mission is rooted in expanding opportunity and strengthening communities,” said Holly Nelson, Chief Workforce Innovation and Community Success Officer at Chemeketa Community College. “This initiative reflects what we know to be true: when education, workforce training, and community partners work together, people who have been justice-impacted can build real pathways to family-wage jobs, economic stability, and long-term success. We are proud to support this statewide effort and to help ensure these pathways are accessible, connected, and sustainable.”

The grant builds on several years of coordinated work guided by Senate Bill 234 (2021) and Senate Bill 269 (2023), which established a continuum of education and workforce services for adults in custody. Across Oregon, this work has expanded access to Pell Grant and state-funded education programs, strengthened pathways to college credit, invested in digital learning, and enhanced reentry services that connect individuals to community-based employment after release.

Chemeketa’s ongoing workforce and education partnerships support this continuum by aligning training programs with regional employer needs and helping individuals develop the skills required for in-demand careers.

As part of the FC2A State Action Networks, Oregon will collaborate with Kansas, Maine, and North Carolina and receive additional technical assistance from JFF and the Coleridge Initiative. The effort also emphasizes engaging people with lived experience as advisors and co-designers to ensure systems are responsive and effective.

More information about Chemeketa’s role and opportunities to engage with this work will be shared as the initiative moves forward.

Chemeketa Community College Awarded Prestigious NSF Grant To Empower Future STEM Leaders - 01/14/26

$2 million federal investment expands scholarships, mentoring, and transfer pathways for community college STEM students

Salem, Ore., January 13, 2026— Chemeketa Community College announced today that it has been awarded a significant grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support its Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) project, Supportive Community College STEM Students’ Development, Persistence, Transfer, and Success.

This six-year, $1,999,946 grant is designed to substantially increase the number of low-income students who earn STEM degrees at Chemeketa and successfully transfer to four-year institutions to complete bachelor’s degrees in high-demand STEM fields.

The project addresses the unique academic, financial, and structural challenges often faced by community college students pursuing STEM careers. Through a combination of direct financial assistance and intentional academic and mentoring support, the initiative will strengthen Chemeketa’s role as a key pipeline for the region’s future STEM workforce.

Direct Benefits for Students and Academic Success

The project will award 18–20 new scholarships each year, supporting an estimated 98 unique low-income students over the life of the grant. Scholarships will be available to students planning to transfer in critical STEM disciplines, including Biology, Chemistry, Data Science, Engineering, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science.

Scholarship funding will be paired with a comprehensive support structure focused on persistence, transfer, and completion, including:

• Financial and academic support: Scholarships that reduce financial barriers and allow students to focus on coursework.
   

• Targeted academic courses: A STEM-specific First-Year Experience course and transfer-focused classes aligned with Oregon’s transfer pathways.
   

• Holistic mentoring: Cohort-based learning, peer mentoring, and sustained faculty mentorship.
   

• Career and transfer advising: Specialized counseling, STEM industry guest speakers, and direct connections to university transfer partners.
   

“There is a wealth of potential within the students in our communities. This opportunity will provide access and support for students to pursue their passions in STEM fields while spending their time at Chemeketa as part of a supportive community of like-minded peers and mentors,” said Keith Schloeman and Shannon Othus Gault, co-leads of Chemeketa’s NSF S-STEM project.

“Students will receive not only the financial support needed to participate in higher education, but also wraparound academic support and opportunities that foster their development as STEM students and emerging STEM professionals. We are excited to support students through this program and look forward to seeing their accomplishments.”

“This NSF grant is an investment in the future workforce of our region,” said Jessica Howard, Ph.D., President and CEO of Chemeketa Community College. “By removing barriers and providing comprehensive, wraparound support, we are ensuring that talented low-income students have a clear and achievable path to high-demand, high-wage STEM careers. This project is not only about student success, it’s about building a stronger, more skilled community.”

The NSF award reinforces Chemeketa Community College’s commitment to equity, access, and workforce preparation, while advancing opportunities for students to thrive in the rapidly evolving STEM economy.

####

For more than 55 years, Chemeketa Community College has committed itself to transforming lives and our community through exceptional learning experiences in the Mid-Willamette Valley. As the second largest multi-campus district in Oregon, Chemeketa serves 17,500 students annually at its Salem and Yamhill Valley campuses, as well as Brooks, Eola, Winema, Dallas, Woodburn and Chemeketa Center for Business and Industry (CCBI).

Chemeketa Community College is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educational institution.