The current issue of the Journal of Advanced Technological Education features a case study about the value of Mentor-Connect’s cohort mentoring and its other impacts.

In “Value-Creation Evaluation Framework for Evaluating NSF Advanced Technological Education Projects” David M. Hata shares data from his evaluation of Mentor-Connect to illustrate “how a well-defined theory of change coupled with a roadmap and value-creation evaluation framework can be used to determine the merit or worth of an Advanced Technological Education (ATE) project.”

Osa Brand’s extraordinary service to Mentor-Connect led to her receiving a Footprint Award from Mentor-Connect Principal Investigator Elaine Craft at a mid-October meeting in Washington, D.C.
Brand’s official title with Mentor-Connect is “senior personnel.” But during the past ten years she has distinguished herself as an all-around team player.

She has mentored many two-year college teams that submitted New-to-ATE grant proposals, offered “special mentoring” to help teams that have been declined funding revise their proposals for resubmission, developed webinars and other digital content for Mentor-Connect’s Resource Library, and pitched in wherever and whenever to help Mentor-Connect and its mentees succeed.

“We are pleased that Brandon has been chosen as a participant in the Mentor Fellowship Internships,” said Charlene Widener, vice president of Educational Services. “The Mentor Connect program assists colleges across the country in development of successful NSF grant proposals. The program will be a valuable professional development opportunity for Brandon and his expertise will benefit not only Northeast but other colleges in Nebraska.” 

Mentor-Connect’s PI 101 for new Advanced Technological Education (ATE) principal investigators (PIs) received the Innovative Program Award at the HI-TEC 2024 Conference on July 31 in Kansas City.

The award recognizes the team led by Pamela Silvers, Mentor-Connect co-principal investigator, for developing and implementing “a significant innovation, which has led to a positive impact on student enrollment, retention, and/or advanced technological education.”

“I was very honored and excited when I found out that PI 101 was nominated and selected, because I do think this is a program that is really going to help the ATE community and help new PIs,” Silvers said.

Mentor-Connect brings first-time PIs up to speed with ATE program requirements. During periodic virtual meeting participants also receive guidance on effective leadership and project management.

Mentor-Connect is an ATE project that is a partnership between the South Carolina Advanced Technological Education Center at Florence-Darlington Technical College and the American Association of Community Colleges.

Eighteen of the 22 Mentor-Connect teams that submitted Advanced Technological Education (ATE) proposals to the National Science Foundation (NSF) in 2023 were awarded grants this year. 82% is an exceptionally high funding rate and indicates that Mentor-Connect mentors thoroughly prepare their mentees to submit competitive proposals.