Written by SI • June 18, 2024 • 2 min read
This partnership is designed to strengthen education accessibility and enrich student learning across California’s community colleges.
ENGLEWOOD, CO— June 18, 2024—Science Interactive, a leader in supporting effective online science education, announced a new partnership with the Foundation for California Community Colleges’ (FoundationCCC) CollegeBuys program. This partnership solidifies Science Interactive as a fully vetted partner for California’s community colleges and streamlines the procurement process, enabling FoundationCCC to extend pre-negotiated cost savings to community colleges statewide.
The California Community Colleges, the largest higher education system in the nation with 1.9 million students across 116 colleges, is forging a partnership with Science Interactive. Having already partnered with several colleges in the state, including Chaffey College and Los Angeles City College, Science Interactive aims to broaden its impact by extending hands-on lab experiences to a wider online student audience.
This collaboration streamlines the procurement process for California’s community colleges, facilitating quicker and more accessible implementation, thereby expanding educational outreach and enhancing scientific literacy statewide. Emphasizing the goal of encouraging increased interest in science-related degrees, this partnership addresses declining enrollment in traditional face-to-face courses by empowering community colleges to boost enrollment in STEM disciplines through innovative tools and resources.
Michael Wangler, Dean of Mathematics and Science at Chaffey College, emphasized the positive impact of the Science Interactive partnership, stating, “We partner with Science Interactive at Chaffey College to offer high-quality online science education that’s comparable to the on-campus experience. This has allowed us to increase enrollment and reach more students who otherwise might not have the opportunity to take a lab course. Using Science Interactive ensures equity, accessibility, and consistency across our lab courses, which will positively impact our retention and student success rates.”
Established in 1998, FoundationCCC, through its CollegeBuys program, secures statewide agreements to streamline procurement and contracting efforts while also securing cost savings. Since its inception, the CollegeBuys program has been instrumental in saving California Community Colleges over $1 billion, a portion of which—exceeding $34 million—has been reinvested to offer scholarships benefiting 34,000 students
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with CollegeBuys to deliver better access to the resources that colleges need to be able to offer high-quality online science labs,” said Sasha Peterson, CEO of Science Interactive. “Our mission is to empower scientific literacy for learners everywhere, and this partnership will help expand access to science education for students in California. We want instructors to have the right resources to deliver an engaging online learning experience that supports better outcomes and student success rates, without having to sacrifice the quality of an in-person lab experience.”
For over 30 years, Science Interactive has worked with thousands of colleges and universities to reach more students with quality online science courses. As the only provider with all of its 13 disciplines certified by Quality Matters, Science Interactive makes it easier for institutions to deliver the most authentic, engaging online lab courses possible.
About CollegeBuys
The CollegeBuys program, by the Foundation for California Community Colleges, is the official purchasing and contracting hub for the California Community Colleges. The mission of the Foundation for California Community Colleges is to benefit, support, and enhance the California Community College system. CollegeBuys offers discounted software, technology, supplies, and equipment, supporting daily operations and campus facilities. With institutional purchasing contracts and student-centered retail store programs, CollegeBuys provides cost savings, resource conservation, compliant contracting processes, and professional development for procurement professionals. To learn more, visit purchasing.collegebuys.org.
About Science Interactive
Science Interactive makes science education accessible to all students, no matter how far they are from campus. Our complete lab solution combines customizable kits, a rigorous digital curriculum, and cutting-edge technology that makes it easier to create and deliver a hands-on lab experience for students in online courses. Over 800 institutions nationwide partner with Science Interactive to expand their online science programs, increase student engagement, and improve success rates. To learn more, visit scienceinteractive.com.