WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kit Bond announced today that the U.S. Department of Education will release $714,000 in federal funding to St. Louis Community College to connect Missouri students and constituents to career opportunities in the life sciences industry.

 

“It has always been my priority to ensure Missouri taxpayers get their fair share of federal dollars to help Missouri communities meet their critical needs,” said Bond. “Investing in life sciences is critical to the education of Missouri’s children and the future of our economy. If we do not make it a priority to invest in our children and future, nobody else will.”

 

Dr. Zelema Harris, Chancelor of St. Louis Community College said, “We are very pleased to work with Senator Bond to increase the number of students pursing good paying careers in the biosciences and look forward to increasing the number of workers who will be available to support businesses in the biobelt.”

 

As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Bond secured the $714,000 in the fiscal year 2009 Labor-Health and Human Services spending bill to help promote life sciences among elementary and secondary schools in inner-city and rural areas. The Department of Education will release the funds on October 1^st , 2009, to St. Louis Community College, which will work in collaboration with the Missouri Biotechnology Association (MOBIO) and Science and Citizens Organized for Purpose and Exploration (SCOPE). The partnership project, titled Empowerment Through the Life Sciences (EETLS), will build a community network and take the individual goals of each entity and meld them into one mission. These goals include raising life sciences awareness, promoting acceptance and career opportunities among underserved populations (including inner-city and rural school students), and advancing workforce development and support for the life sciences industry.

 

The EETLS project will involve two large trailers specially equipped as labs for life sciences presentations or demonstrations and a smaller van with detachable Teacher Support Trunks, which will visit students statewide.  Each unit will go directly to Missouri schools and communities to connect students and constituents with the life sciences industry, increasing potential for good, high-paying jobs within Missouri’s growing life sciences industry.

 

Senator Bond is a longtime supporter of the life sciences industry. In August, he secured more than $9 million for Missouri agricultural projects which ensures that our farmers will remain competitive in the world market and that our State will continue to be a leader in biotechnology. The funding for EETLS is another important step in advancing Missouri’s economy and life sciences industry.

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