Chemeketa Community College Awarded National Science Foundation Grant To Empower STEM Students Through Course-Based Research (Photo) - 08/24/26

Innovative NSF ITYC initiative embeds authentic scientific research into introductory classes, expands field research at Opal Creek, and creates warm handoffs to regional universities.

Salem, Ore., August 24, 2026 — Chemeketa Community College has been awarded a competitive grant from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Innovations in Two-Year College STEM Education (ITYC) program for a new project titled “Increasing STEM Persistence and Transfer through Course-Based Research Experiences.” The project aims to transform STEM education for community college undergraduates by embedding authentic scientific research directly into foundational coursework, helping students build professional STEM identities, and successfully transfer to four-year degree programs.

Chemeketa serves over 18,000 students across a 2,600-square-mile district in the Mid-Willamette Valley. Many community college students balance work and family commitments—64% of financial aid applicants are Pell-eligible, 49% are first-generation college students, and more than a third work 20 or more hours per week. Traditional unpaid or extracurricular summer research opportunities are often out of reach. This grant directly overcomes those obstacles by integrating high-impact research experiences straight into transferable courses across biology, chemistry, geology, physics, environmental science, and mathematics.

"I am incredibly excited about this initiative. Research experiences are proven to build student confidence and cut completion gaps in half for low-income and first-generation college students. Yet community college undergraduates rarely get access to authentic research early in their academic journey. By integrating real-world research straight into our curriculum, we are removing barriers, fostering a deep sense of belonging, and preparing our students to excel both at four-year universities and in high-demand STEM careers across Oregon."
— Chemeketa Community College President, Dr. Jessica Howard

Key Initiative Components & Interdisciplinary Scope

The project is led by Dr. Jennifer Johns and Keith Scholeman, together with multi-departmental faculty teams, the initiative encompasses several core strategies including hands-on classroom research, forest research at Opal Creek, community projects with the City of Salem, and transfer university partnerships.

Faculty Development & National Dissemination

Beyond direct student engagement, the grant provides scaffolded professional development and curriculum redesign stipends for both full-time and adjunct faculty, coordinated through Chemeketa’s Center for Academic Innovation. To ensure broad educational impact, project outcomes and tested teaching tools will be compiled into a pedagogical handbook published by Chemeketa Press—the nation’s only community college press—serving as a national model for two-year college STEM education.

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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 more than 18,000 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.

Chemeketa To Open Student Resource Hub To Connect Students With Essential Support - 08/18/26

New centralized hub brings food, clothing, emergency assistance and community resources together in one welcoming location 

Salem, Ore., August 18, 2026 — Chemeketa Community College will celebrate the opening of its new Student Resource Hub with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday, September 10, at 8:30 a.m. in Building 2 on the Salem Campus.

The new Student Resource Hub brings several essential student services together in one central location, making it easier for students to find and access help when they need it. The Hub includes Chemeketa’s food pantry and clothing closet, access to community resources through a dedicated Benefits Navigator, and the College’s Student Emergency Relief Fund.

The need for these services is significant. According to the 2025 Hope Center Student Basic Needs Survey, 57% of Chemeketa respondents experienced at least one form of basic-needs insecurity, including food insecurity, housing insecurity, or homelessness.

During the 2025-26 academic year alone, Chemeketa’s food pantry recorded approximately 8,400 student visits. The College also provided nearly $94,000 in emergency assistance to help students with needs including housing, utilities, transportation, tuition, health care and child care.

Chemeketa’s Benefits Navigator works directly with students to identify available college and community resources and assists them in applying for benefits for which they may qualify. The Hub also connects students with resources related to housing, food, transportation, technology, health care, child care and other basic needs.

“Students come to Chemeketa to build a better future, but it can be incredibly difficult to focus on an education when you are worried about where your next meal will come from, whether you can pay your rent, or how you will afford child care,” said Marie Hulett, Chemeketa’s Associate Vice President of Institutional Advancement.  

Bringing these services together is intended not only to simplify access but also to reduce the stigma students may sometimes feel when seeking assistance. Rather than navigating multiple locations and programs, students can begin in one place and receive help identifying the resources that best fit their circumstances. “The Student Resource Hub brings support together in one welcoming place, making it easier for students to find the help they need without having to navigate multiple offices or systems,” said Chemeketa President Jessica Howard.  “By helping students meet their basic needs, we give them a stronger foundation to stay in college, succeed academically, and reach their educational goals.”

The Student Resource Hub builds on an extensive network of college programs and community partnerships already supporting Chemeketa students. These include the Chemeketa Foundation, STEP/SNAP employment and training services, state and local grant-funded programs, and numerous nonprofit and governmental partners throughout the region.

Among the community organizations partnering with Chemeketa to support students are Marion County, Marion County Housing Authority, Salem Housing Authority, Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, Family Building Blocks, Northwest Human Services, Center for Hope and Safety, Oregon Human Development Corporation, Early Learning Hub, Options Pregnancy Resource Center, Mano a Mano, Church at the Park, Easterseals, Pueblo Unido, Cherriots, Safe Sleep, Henderson House, Helping Hands, Salem Free Clinic, Polk County Resource Center, The Salvation Army, PCUN and Salem Health.

“Student success is about more than what happens in the classroom,” Howard said. “It is also about creating the conditions that allow students to keep showing up, keep learning and keep moving toward their goals. We are deeply grateful to the many community partners, employees, legislators and donors whose commitment to our students helped make this Hub possible.”

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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 more than 18,000 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.