For the prospective student, use the following links to obtain
details about the program and the college.
Click on Acrobat reader icon
to download Acrobat reader.
You can also read the text below to find out how the biotechnology program
came into being at Oklahoma City Community College:
History and Context of the Oklahoma City Community College
Biotechnology Program
The Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce and the Oklahoma Department of
Commerce both identified biotechnology as one of the target industries
for business expansion. Early in 1998, J. Donald Capra, M.D., new President
and Scientific Director of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation , said
"Oklahoma has all the key ingredients to incorporate biotechnology
as a core industry." Dr. Capra called for a collective effort in the
state to make Oklahoma a "major player in biotechnology." In
September 1998, Governor Keating announced the appointment of Arthur "Skip"
Porter as Oklahoma's first Cabinet Secretary of Science and Technology
Development, for the purpose of "helping Oklahoma become the national
leader in science and technology cooperation, development and research."
Thus, interest for biotechnology in Oklahoma is growing, and has broad
public and private support.
Workforce availability is one key factor in bringing more biotechnology
industry to Oklahoma. The new biotechnology training program of Oklahoma
City Community College was formulated in 1997 in direct response to Oklahoma
ambitions for biotechnology industry. The mission statement of Oklahoma
City Community College, as written in A Vision for Student Success in
the Twenty-First Century, reads: "The College is Oklahoma
City's community college and as such is: widely known for making a difference
in students' lives; a leader in implementing and using technology; a major
resource for community and economic development; and an important partner
with public and private entities in providing quality education and services
to an ever-growing and diverse student population." In keeping with
its mission, the OKC Community College supports the Oklahoma biotechnology
vision by training workers for the industry.
Oklahoma City Community College has been supported in this initiative
with a grant of $250,000 from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
for workforce development. With these funds the college is constructing
and equipping a state-of-the-art biotechnology laboratory. The College
also recruited and hired a new full-time faculty person to direct the program.
Program courses will begin in spring 1999.
Thus, both local public and private institutions share the vision of biotechnology
in the future of Oklahomans, and Oklahoma City Community College is in
the forefront of the initiative.
Oklahoma City Community College Biotechnology Program
Dr. Fabiola Janiak-Spens, Program Director
7777 S. May Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK 73159-4444
(405) 682-1611, ext 7414
Comments: Cmulvihill@occc.edu
Copyright
1998 Oklahoma City Community College
Updated 1/07 | 
