Scaling Equitable Education with Made In Durham & Durham Tech
Situation: Made In Durham had successfully initiated the BULLS (Building Up Local Life Science) pilot program with The Durham Children’s Initiative (DCI) and Durham Tech, but the the non-academic program delivery was being handled by DCI. For the program to meet its growth objectives, it was essential to transition all of its management and operations to Durham Tech.
Task: I was brought on to help create a comprehensive plan for transitioning and scaling the program at Durham Tech, setting standards to allow for expansion into other industries, identifying key stakeholders to enable this transition, and clarifying budgetary needs to secure funding for future cohorts.
Action:
Defining Core Standards: Collaborated with staff at Made In Durham and DCI to create a standardized definition of the BULLS program and the BULLS Biomanufacturing Academy, facilitating future expansion beyond Life Science.
Targeted Outreach: Reached out to relevant staff members at Durham Tech, including administrators, program coordinators, success coaches, career services staff, admissions staff, and financial aid advisors, to introduce the BULLS Program and discuss its potential benefits.
Interviews and Collaboration: Engaged in discussions with Durham Tech staff to understand the institution's existing infrastructure, identify potential gaps, and gain insights into seamlessly integrating the BULLS Biomanufacturing Program into Durham Tech's operations.
BULLS Standards: Established standards outlining the application and selection process, onboarding procedures, academic program delivery, student support services, and job readiness initiatives, providing a clear operational framework for Durham Tech's implementation of the program.
Work Plan Development: Created a detailed work plan for the deployment of the BULLS Biomanufacturing Program at Durham Tech, outlining specific operational needs and suggested roles for each stage of the program.
Goal Setting: Collaborated with other community colleges and industry leaders to identify relevant data sources for job growth, turnover rates, and graduate rates, informing goal-setting for the BULLS Biomanufacturing Program based on real-time industry needs.
Outreach and Marketing Guidance: Provided guidance on marketing activities, budgets, and partnerships necessary to achieve program targets for Durham Tech’s Biomanufacturing Program in general as well as BULLS Biomanufacturing Program participants within that objective.
Budget Planning: Worked with Made In Durham's Executive Director, Casey Stienbacher, to develop a budget for future fundraising, considering cohort size, program requirements, staffing needs, student support services, and scalability.
Results: As a result of these efforts, the BULLS Life Science Academy secured its first round of growth funding of approximately $10 million, successfully transitioned some of it’s non-academic program operations from DCI to Durham Tech, and is preparing to accommodate its fourth cohort in the upcoming fall semester. Enrollments in Biomanufacturing have grown to meet 80% of expected job demand, with half of the students being Bulls Biomanufacturing Academy Scholars. Core standards continue to be established to ensure consistency in program processes, from application to academic program delivery.
Artifacts
