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ORLANDO,
Fla. (Jan. 7, 2010) --- The University of Central
Florida Business Incubation Program and an A-List of private
industry partners are about to launch a regional effort to
stimulate more Science, Technology, Engineering and Math options
for pre-college students in Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Brevard,
Volusia, Lake, Polk and Flagler counties. The
Central Florida STEM Education Council (CFSEC) has formalized its
charter and will be based at the UCF Business Incubation Program
in the Central Florida Research Park according to Carol Ann Dykes,
site manager for the Research Park incubator facility. Charter
members of the CFSEC include the University of Central Florida's
College of Engineering and Computer Science, NASA Kennedy Space
Center, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, SAIC, Boeing, Harris
Corporation, Disney, the Florida Virtual School, the Naval Air
Warfare Center, U.S. Army PEO-STRI, Cox Marketing Services, and
the Manufacturers Association of Central Florida. All
of the charter members have STEM education activities currently. The
Council will enable them to share information and leverage resources
to pursue additional programs and services for students, parents
and educators. "Our
mission is to prepare and encourage pre-college students to enter
technical fields of study and pursue employment in the Central
Florida high-tech workforce," said Bruce Furino who has played
a key role for UCF in the creation of the Council. "The
Council will encourage and support stronger technology programs
in area schools and advocate to offer direct assistance including
mentorships, online resources for parents and students and resources
for educators," said Furino. Supporting
the Council makes sense for the UCF Incubation Program. "The
UCF Business Incubation Program supports a significant number of
emerging technology companies and our support of the Council will
help stimulate and generate technology workers who will drive these
companies in the future," said Dr. Tom O'Neal, UCF's associate
vice president for Research & Commercialization and executive
director of the Incubation Program.
Mr.
Bruce Furino, Educational Partnerships Director, UCF College of
Engineering & Computer Science, 407-823-4927 or bfurino@mail.ucf.edu
Carol
Ann Dykes, Site Manager, UCF Business Incubation Program, 407-882-0211, cdykes@mail.ucf.edu
Larry
Vershel or Beth Payan, Larry Vershel Communications, 407-644-4142
or LvershelCo@aol.com
About
the UCF Incubation Program:
Since
its founding in 1999, the UCF Business Incubation Program has
helped more than 130 emerging companies (including nearly 80
current clients) create over $500 million in annual revenue and
more than 1600 new jobs with an average salary of $59,000. With
six facilities across the Greater Orlando community, the Incubation
Program is a collaboration in economic development between the
University of Central Florida, Orange County, the City of Orlando,
Seminole County, the City of Winter Springs, The City of Sanford,
Lake County, the City of Leesburg, and the Florida High Tech
Corridor Council. For more information, please visit www.incubator.ucf.edu |
