INTRODUCTION
Allegany
College of Maryland, which was founded in August 1961, is a community college
located in Cumberland, Maryland, with branch campuses in Bedford and Somerset
Counties, Pennsylvania. Along with the creation of the branch campuses in
neighboring Pennsylvania, Allegany College offers additional services through
interactive distance learning, satellite downlinks and on-line courses, all
designed to make its degree programs more available to the population it serves.
This three county region is typical of Appalachia: impoverished both educationally
and economically. The student population is 66% female and over 55.5% of students
are designated by the Federal Government as low-income. Eighty-three percent
of students currently enrolled are first generation students; the first in
their families to attend an institution of post-secondary education. The unemployment
rates in the three counties are substantially above the national average and
per-capita incomes remain about $10,000 below State averages.
Allegany College provides low-cost, high quality, post-secondary education
opportunities for residents of the tri-state region. Although heavy emphasis
was placed on liberal arts transfer programs in the College's early development,
in recent years the College has seen the development of highly specialized
curricula, including degree programs in allied health, pre-professional areas,
and specialized career and certificate programs designed to meet identified
job market needs of the region and the nation. The growth of the Computer
Science degree program is evident of this evolution. Ever cognizant of its
responsibility to the needs of employers, Allegany College has accepted as
its mission to make tangible contributions through higher education to the
economic and cultural growth of the area by offering programs suitable to
the requirements of its clients.
A recent study by the Information Technology Association of America estimates
that this year more than 843,000 Information Technology (IT) jobs will go
unfilled in the United States. With the IT work force at about 10 million
in the US, this shortfall means that nearly one in twelve positions will not
be filled. The shortage goes beyond the United States and is a challenge worldwide.
There are real opportunities today for people with the skills needed to succeed
in this explosive industry. Given the rapid rate of growth in the IT industry
and the current and projected shortages of IT professionals, there is almost
no limit to the career possibilities for those individuals who possess the
right skills.
The same study explores the changes in the composition of the United States
workforce due to the demand for skilled IT workers. The two skills most desirable
for employment include a strong knowledge base in the relevant area and hands-on
experience. The study indicates that community colleges have evolved as an
effective training option in which to develop these skills.
In order to better prepare more students to step into IT positions which are
available and lucrative, Allegany College is applying for NSF scholarship
funding to assist a minimum of 10 full-time students in the Computer Science
degree program each year who demonstrate academic aptitude, but are at high
risk due to financial need.
This effort will serve to enhance the academic development of this group of
students and will encourage their development into a group of skilled Information
Technology professionals who are in great demand in the labor market of Western
Maryland and throughout the nation.
