The BMCC community has been eagerly waiting to find out which projects are receiving funding through the President’s Fund for Excellence and Innovation. The fund was established in December 2020 through the generous and ground-breaking donation of philanthropist and author MacKenzie Scott in recognition and support of the exceptional mission and success of BMCC.
The President’s Fund was established to support BMCC’s efforts to improve student learning and success, enhance research and knowledge creation, and advance socioeconomic mobility through the transformative power of education. In early 2021, the entire college community was invited to submit project proposals that adhere to the guiding principles of the fund and support the mission and vision of BMCC and meet one or more of the thematic areas of needs, which include addressing food and housing insecurity, improving student learning and engagement, incorporating career development opportunities, and reducing social and economic equity gaps for students.
“I am proud of all the teams who submitted proposals for the President’s Fund for Excellence and Innovation,” said Anthony E. Munroe, BMCC President. “Creative approaches and transformative ideas were evident in every proposal. The projects selected for funding went through a rigorous review process by committees and represent a broad spectrum of areas where our institution can continue to advance the intentions of Ms. Scott, who recognizes our on-going efforts to bring equity and inclusion across our academics, support programs, and the learning experience of our students.”
A total of 61 Letters of Intent were submitted by project teams, and 31 of them were invited to submit formal proposals to be reviewed by the committees. The three review committees: Teaching and Curriculum Initiatives, Innovative Programs and Transformational Student Support, comprised of BMCC students, faculty and staff, reviewed and scored each of the submissions. The committees selected the following SEVEN teams and projects to receive funding from the President’s Fund for Excellence and Innovation.