Celebrating PNC’s $100,000 Tech-Challenge Match Program with the College of Southern Maryland Foundation are, from left, CSM’s Foundation Chair Don Parsons, Chair of CSM’s “Campaign for the Next 50 Years” Michael A. Besche, CSM Development Department Director Jane Loughran, PNC Regional President Scot Ebron, CSM President Dr. Bradley Gottfried, PNC Senior Vice President Business Advisor Brian Bucci, PNC Public Relations Market Manager Jan Lomax and PNC Vice President Business Banking Sales Manager Brian Compton. (Submitted photo)
LA PLATA, Md. (Nov. 19, 2008)—The College of Southern Maryland Foundation’s “Campaign for the Next 50 Years” has received support for its Institute for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (ISTEM) initiative through PNC’s Tech-Challenge Match Program. The PNC challenge will provide $100,000, over a five-year period at $20,000 per year to be matched by the CSM Foundation’s fund-raising efforts.
“CSM is an integral part of all three counties,” said PNC Regional President Scot Ebron, “and we want to support the work that is done here.”
“We have always been supporters of the college,” added PNC Senior Vice President Brian Bucci, noting that the local Mercantile banks that joined to become PNC last year have had long and strong connections to the community.
In recognition of this donation, PNC now has a strong connection to CSM by way of a biology lab named in its honor in the newly renovated Francis P. Chiaramonte, M.D. Center for Science and Technology on the college’s La Plata Campus.
In recognizing PNC’s partnership with the college, CSM President Brad Gottfried said, “CSM and industry must work together to solve the long-term challenges of attracting, training and increasing our local pool of scientists and technology workers.” He added that the college is prepared to address the shortages of engineers, scientists and information technology workers through its ISTEM initiatives.
The ISTEM initiative focuses on providing early intervention to attract elementary, middle and high school students to the sciences and math as well as enhancing current curriculum, facilities, equipment, internships and career opportunities for CSM students.
CSM will use the funds to develop math and science interest outreach programs with area middle and high schools, support robotic competition programs, offer women and math programs for high school students, equip CSM labs with educational technology, and provide education experiences and internship programs with high-tech business partners for CSM students.
CSM currently serves more than 23,000 credit and continuing education students through degree programs, technical certificates and workforce training programs.
The mission of the CSM Foundation is to promote academic excellence, growth, progress and the general welfare of CSM by raising and managing funds, and providing support to strengthen and develop the college and its objectives.
The PNC Foundation receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.