SCC STEM efforts recognized

Published: 12/05/2016

At the Nov. 28 St. Charles County Council meeting, County Executive Steve Ehlmann presented SCC administrators and faculty with a proclamation recognizing SCC’s partnership and participation in the national Hour of Code initiative.

The Hour of Code is a nationwide yearly event to interest students in computer programming and other STEM-related fields. 

In the past year, SCC computer science faculty began offering sessions at Workforce and Business Development office. In the next week, SCC will conduct two more sessions. On Dec. 7, the Missouri Job Center of St. Charles County will host an IT Job Fair and Education event from 4 to 6 p.m. and SCC faculty Rex McKanry and Nancy Graviett will represent the college. 

“For the past semester I have been going once a month to the St. Charles County Department of Workforce and Business Development/Missouri Job Center of St. Charles County offices to do an introduction to coding,” said Rex McKanry, assistant professor of computer science. “Sometimes I have students come to help out with the attendees. These sessions cover how to create a basic calculator using the Python programming languages.” 

SCC offers a wide variety of computer science certificates and degrees appropriate for students right out of high school and professionals who want to enhance their skills and industry marketability.

St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann (left) presents a proclamation to SCC faculty and administrators in support of the college’s contributions to the Hour of Code initiative. From left: Rex McKanry, assistant professor of computer science; Lauren Dickens, interim dean of business, science, education, math and computer science; Amanda Sizemore, dean of corporate and community development; John Bookstaver, Ph.D., interim vice president for academic and student affairs; and Barbara Kavalier, Ph.D., SCC president.