Connect with us

Technology

New Mexico Community College, Children’s Museum Form Groundbreaking Partnership to Launch Early Childhood Learning Center

Published

8 months ago

on

Brillante will deliver a new comprehensive model of early childhood education that not only focuses on serving the critical development period of children from birth to age 5, but also the workforce development of high-quality early childhood educators and the childcare needs of the community

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., May 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Explora Science Center & Children’s Museum (Explora) and Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) have joined forces to launch a trailblazing model of early childhood education. It invests in high-quality STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) early education and childcare, a well-trained early childhood educator workforce, and much-needed childcare services for community members and CNM students who are parents striving to earn degrees, certificates and a better quality of life for their families. All three of these focuses will bolster positive outcomes for the community and economy, while also delivering a promising model that can be emulated at other early childhood centers.

The 14,000-square-foot facility, called the Brillante Early Learning Center, is being constructed as Phase Two of Explora’s Cradle through Career STEAM Learning Campus development in Albuquerque. It’s expected to establish Explora and CNM as national leaders in early childhood practice and workforce development. Brillante will deliver high-quality early childhood education and care for young children (infant to 5-years-old) that will be rooted in STEAM education and play-based learning, while also serving as a learning lab for CNM students pursuing certificates and degrees in the college’s Early Childhood Multicultural Education (ECME) program. 

“Explora is so excited about this project, which is grounded in community listening and which has been developed with a Planning Team of local early childhood experts. We’ve heard from so many families that high-quality early childhood education and care is critically-important for improving both family and community prosperity. Brillante Early Learning Center will change lives – helping young parents finish their certificates and degrees and get jobs that can end generational cycles of poverty – and we couldn’t be more excited to be working with CNM on this impactful partnership,” says Explora Co-Executive Director, Kristin Leigh, who has been working on the concept for Brillante Early Learning Center for close to 10 years.

Brillante will be a STEAM-based early childhood school using the Reggio Emilia approach to education. This approach views children as active, capable and extremely valuable members of the community who should be encouraged to explore, question, and interpret the world during their first five years of life. Providing a state-of-the-art, experience-rich environment where children can engage in this approach every day will contribute to healthier, more engaged and more productive members of society. 

For CNM students in the ECME associate degree and certificate programs, Brillante will be leveraged as a learning lab, providing real-world, field-based experience and mentorship in a high-quality early care and education center, preparing them to become highly valued members of the early childhood education workforce across the state. Students will be able to complete their on-site field work in Brillante classrooms with mentoring and supervision from CNM faculty, as well as conduct certain course assignments at a centralized location.

CNM faculty and staff will also be able to visit and observe Brillante as a resource for developing curriculum and for ongoing professional development. Brillante will continue to offer professional development opportunities for early childhood educators and directors from across New Mexico.

The Albuquerque community, including CNM student parents, will be able to take advantage of high-quality, subsidized childcare services at Brillante. Childcare issues are a significant barrier to pursuing and completing higher education for many working learners. There are currently two Brillante pilot classrooms operating at Explora, with the majority of the children served having parents who attend CNM. Once the facility is complete, the center is projected to serve more than 100 young children, with most of them being children of CNM students.  

“At CNM, we’re very excited about this extraordinary partnership with Explora, because it’s going to create so many positive ripple effects on our community, our students, and our state,” said CNM President Tracy Hartzler. “We all know the critical importance of providing high-quality education and care during the formative years for children up to age 5. To provide that high-quality early education to all New Mexico families, we need a larger and well-trained early education teacher workforce. Separately, one in six CNM students report being parents – and they need more options for quality childcare. Too often, childcare challenges cause them to give up on an education that would provide them a better life. We’re confident that this partnership and model are going to deliver impressive, inspiring outcomes and solutions on a number of fronts.” 

Nobel Prize-winning economist, James Heckman, has done significant research on the return on investment in early childhood education. Brillante has drawn inspiration from his equation – “Invest+Develop+Sustain=Gain” – which is: 1) Invest in educational and developmental resources for disadvantaged families to provide equal access to successful early human development; 2) Nurture early development of cognitive and social skills in children from birth to age 5; 3) Sustain early development with effective education through to adulthood; 4) Gain a more capable, productive, and valuable workforce that pays dividends to America for generations to come.

The Brillante facility will include eight to 10 classrooms serving infants through Pre-K students; adult classrooms for CNM students; a welcome plaza with Explora hands-on STEAM exhibits; space for school-wide meetings; an art studio; outdoor learning spaces; and a full kitchen.

This high quality, STEAM-based early childhood center will be free to most New Mexicans due to funding from the State of New Mexico’s Childcare Assistance Program, the New Mexico Pre-K grant, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-mexico-community-college-childrens-museum-form-groundbreaking-partnership-to-launch-early-childhood-learning-center-302154496.html

SOURCE Central New Mexico Community College (CNM)

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Technology

Fisher Investments Finalizes Strategic Partnership with Advent and ADIA with Completion of Minority Common Stock Investment

Published

7 minutes ago

on

January 7, 2025

By

Fisher Investments’ Founder Ken Fisher Maintains Majority Controlling Interest

PLANO, Texas, Jan. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Fisher Investments (“FI”) announced that Advent International (“Advent”) and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (“ADIA”) completed a previously announced minority investment in Ken Fisher’s namesake firm, Fisher Investments. The $3 billion common stock investment by Advent and ADIA values FI at $12.75 billion.

The transaction was part of Ken Fisher’s long-term estate planning and ensures FI’s long-term private independence, culture, growth evolution and devotion to exceptional client service. Ken Fisher remains active in his current role as FI’s Executive Chairman and Co-Chief Investment Officer and retains a majority of beneficial ownership and over 70% of voting shares in FI. FI CEO Damian Ornani continues to drive FI’s day-to-day operations and business strategy. In connection with the investment, David Mussafer, a Managing Partner at Advent, has joined the board of directors at FI, and Gabriela Weiss, a Principal at Advent, has joined as a board observer at FI.

As of 12/31/24, FI managed nearly $300 billion for over 170,000 clients globally, including over 130,000 US private clients and 200 of the world’s largest and most well-known institutional clients. This is the first outside investment in FI, with previous ownership solely among family and employees. There is no further FI investment transaction contemplated. The investment in common shares includes neither options nor non-common stock preferences and includes proportional voting to the investors’ beneficial ownership in FI.

Ken Fisher said, “While my health is excellent, this transaction is aimed dually at long-term estate tax and planning purposes should anything untoward happen to me. Advent and ADIA are truly exceptional partners who value us operationally and culturally, and are committed to preserving what differentiates FI in our industry.”

Damian Ornani, longtime FI CEO, said, “We welcome Advent and ADIA’s support of our mission to help more new clients around the world.”

David Mussafer said, “We are thrilled to cement Advent’s partnership with FI at a moment when there is a growing need for the smart, independent and personalized financial expertise that FI is recognized for providing for 45 years. We look forward to closely collaborating with Ken, Damian and the rest of the FI team to support the company’s continued growth, drawing on Advent’s deep expertise in helping financial services companies best capitalize on the opportunities ahead.”

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and RBC Capital Markets served as joint financial advisors and Paul Hastings served as legal advisor to FI. Ropes & Gray served as legal advisor to Advent. Gibson Dunn served as legal advisor to ADIA.

About Fisher Investments
Founded in 1979, Fisher Investments is an independent, fee-only investment adviser. Fisher Investments and its subsidiaries manage nearly $300 billion across three principal businesses—Institutional, US Private Client, and Private Client International. Founder and Executive Chairman Ken Fisher wrote the Forbes “Portfolio Strategy” column for 32 ½ years until 2017, making him the longest running columnist in its history. He now writes monthly for the New York Post and discreet unique columns in native language, varying by country, in 26 major nations, spanning more countries and more total volume than any other columnist of any type in history. Ken has appeared regularly on major TV news like Fox Business and News, BBN Bloomberg and CNN International. Ken has written 11 investing and finance books, including four New York Times bestsellers. For more information, visit www.fisherinvestments.com.

About Advent International
Advent is a leading global private equity investor committed to working in partnership with management teams, entrepreneurs, and founders to help transform businesses. With 16 offices across five continents, we oversee more than USD $88.8 billion in assets under management* and have made more than 420 investments across 43 countries.

Since our founding in 1984, we have developed specialist market expertise across our five core sectors: business & financial services, consumer, healthcare, industrial, and technology. This approach is bolstered by our deep sub-sector knowledge, which informs every aspect of our investment strategy, from sourcing opportunities to working in partnership with management to execute value creation plans. We bring hands-on operational expertise to enhance and accelerate businesses.

As one of the largest privately-owned partnerships, our 650+ colleagues leverage the full ecosystem of Advent’s global resources, including our Portfolio Support Group, insights provided by industry expert Operating Partners and Operations Advisors, as well as bespoke tools to support and guide our portfolio companies as they seek to achieve their strategic goals.

To learn more, visit our website connect with us on LinkedIn.

*Advent assets under management (AUM) as of June 30, 2024. AUM includes assets attributable to Advent advisory clients as well as employee and third-party co-investment vehicles.

About Abu Dhabi Investment Authority
Established in 1976, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (“ADIA”) is a globally diversified investment institution that prudently invests funds on behalf of the Government of Abu Dhabi through a strategy focused on long-term value creation. For more information, visit www.adia.ae.

Media Contacts
For Fisher Investments
Naj Srinivas
Executive Vice President, Corporate Communications
n.srinivas@fi.com

For Advent International
Leslie Shribman
Head of Communications
lshribman@adventinternational.com

For ADIA
Garry Nickson
Corporate Communications & Public Affairs
garry.nickson@adia.ae

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2592020/Fisher_Investments_Logo.jpg

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/fisher-investments-finalizes-strategic-partnership-with-advent-and-adia-with-completion-of-minority-common-stock-investment-302344504.html

Continue Reading

Technology

Shereta Williams Named EVP, Growth Operations for Cox Enterprises

Published

7 minutes ago

on

January 7, 2025

By

Cox Enterprises Continues Focus on Diversification to Drive Long-Term Growth

ATLANTA, Jan. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Cox Enterprises has named Shereta Williams as executive vice president of Growth Operations. In this role, Williams will continue to help drive the company’s diversification strategy and oversee all Cox Enterprises’ majority-owned businesses outside of its core operating divisions, Cox Communications and Cox Automotive. Her responsibilities include managing strategic partnerships and investments, accelerating growth, and diversifying into new industries such as cleantech, sustainable agriculture, public sector software and digital media.

“Shereta has been instrumental in driving Cox’s growth strategy,” said Dallas Clement, president and chief financial officer of Cox Enterprises. “Her strategic vision and ability to balance entrepreneurial innovation with operational execution have played a key role in our success as we diversify and expand our portfolio. I’m thrilled to see Shereta step into this role and lead us into the future.”

Over the last several years, Cox Enterprises has focused on strategically expanding beyond its core industries to drive long-term growth. As part of this diversification strategy, the company has made significant investments and acquisitions, including Axios, a leading digital media company, and OpenGov, a pioneer in cloud-based public sector software solutions. The company also launched a new platform in sustainable agriculture, Cox Farms, and is now the largest greenhouse operator in North America with more than 700 acres. Williams played a pivotal role in these efforts, which reflect the company’s commitment to investing in new industries that will shape the future of its business.

“I’m honored to continue building on Cox’s legacy of innovation and growth,” said Williams. “Cox has a unique ability to create opportunities that drive business success while making a positive impact in the communities we serve. I look forward to advancing this work and supporting our talented teams as we shape the future together.”

Since joining Cox Enterprises in 1998, Williams has held various roles in strategy, corporate development and operations, including positions within Cox Television and Cox Media Group. She also served as managing director of the currency division for Maven Funds, a startup hedge fund in Atlanta. An electrical engineer by training, Williams began her career in investment banking at Lazard Frères & Co., where she gained experience in acquisitions, divestitures, leveraged buyouts and public offerings.

Williams earned her degree in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) and serves on the board of directors for Daktronics, Inc., and Food Well Alliance, a nonprofit focused on providing resources and support to local growers to connect and build healthier communities.

About Cox Enterprises
Cox Enterprises is dedicated to empowering people to build a better future for the next generation. Cox is a leader in the broadband, automotive, and media industries, as well as a leading investment platform with strategic positions in emerging technologies driving the future of agriculture, renewable energy, healthtech, and public sector software. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Cox is a global company with $23 billion in annual revenues and a proud history spanning more than 125 years. To learn more about Cox and its commitment to its people, planet and communities, visit coxenterprises.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shereta-williams-named-evp-growth-operations-for-cox-enterprises-302344452.html

SOURCE Cox Enterprises

Continue Reading

Technology

Eighteen New Semiconductor Fabs to Start Construction in 2025, SEMI Reports

Published

7 minutes ago

on

January 7, 2025

By

MILPITAS, Calif., Jan. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The semiconductor industry is expected to start 18 new fab construction projects in 2025*, according to SEMI’s latest quarterly World Fab Forecast report. The new projects include three 200mm and fifteen 300mm facilities, the majority of which are expected to begin operations from 2026 to 2027.

 

In 2025, the Americas and Japan are the leading regions with four projects each. The China and Europe & Middle East regions are each tied for third place with three planned construction projects. Taiwan has two planned projects, while Korea and Southeast Asia have one project each for 2025.

“The semiconductor industry has reached a pivotal juncture, with investments driving both leading-edge and mainstream technologies to meet evolving global demands,” said Ajit Manocha, SEMI President and CEO. “Generative AI and high-performance computing are fueling advancements in the leading-edge logic and memory segments, while mainstream nodes continue to underpin critical applications in automotive, IoT and power electronics. The construction of 18 new semiconductor fabs set to begin in 2025 demonstrates the industry’s commitment to support innovation and significant economic growth.”

Covering 2023 to 2025, the 4Q 2024 edition of World Fab Forecast report shows that the global semiconductor industry plans to begin operation of 97 new high-volume fabs. This includes 48 projects in 2024 and 32 projects set to launch in 2025, with wafer sizes ranging from 300mm to 50mm.

Advanced Nodes Lead Semiconductor Industry Expansion

Semiconductor capacity is projected to further accelerate, with a 6.6% yearly growth rate forecast to total 33.6 million wafers per month (wpm)** for 2025. This expansion will be primarily driven by leading-edge logic technologies in high-performance computing (HPC) applications and the increasing penetration of generative AI in edge devices.

The semiconductor industry is intensifying efforts to build advanced computing capabilities, responding to the escalating computational demands of large language models (LLMs). Chip manufacturers are aggressively expanding advanced node capacities (7nm and below), which are expected to see an industry-leading 16% yearly growth rate for an increase of more than 300,000 wpm to total 2.2 million wpm in 2025.

Boosted by China’s chip self-sufficiency strategy and expected demand from automotive and IoT applications, mainstream nodes (8nm~45nm) are predicted to add another 6% capacity, surpassing the 15 million wpm milestone in 2025.

Mature technology nodes (50nm and above) are experiencing a more conservative expansion, reflecting the market’s slow recovery and low utilization rates. This segment is expected to grow 5%, reaching 14 million wpm in 2025.

Foundry Segment Continues Strong Capacity Growth

Foundry suppliers are expected to remain the leaders in semiconductor equipment purchases. The Foundry segment is projected to increase capacity by 10.9% year-over-year, rising from 11.3 million wpm in 2024 to a record 12.6 million wpm in 2025.

The overall memory segment shows a measured capacity expansion, with modest growth of 3.5% in 2024 and 2.9% in 2025. However, strong generative AI demand is driving significant changes in memory markets. High-bandwidth memory (HBM) is experiencing a notable surge, creating divergent capacity growth trends between the DRAM and NAND flash segments.

The DRAM segment is expected to maintain robust growth, projecting approximately a 7% year-over-year increase to 4.5 million wpm in 2025. Conversely, the installed capacity for 3D NAND is anticipated to grow 5%, reaching 3.7 million wpm in the same period.

The latest update of the SEMI World Fab Forecast report, published in December 2024, lists more than 1,500 facilities and lines globally, including 180 volume facilities and lines with various probabilities expected to start operation in 2025 or later. 

Download a sample of the SEMI World Fab Forecast report.

For details about SEMI reports on other semiconductor sectors, visit SEMI Market Intelligence or contact us at mktstats@semi.org.

*The fab count does not include research and development (R&D) lines
**200mm equivalent

About SEMI
SEMI® is the global industry association connecting over 3,000 member companies and 1.5 million professionals worldwide across the semiconductor and electronics design and manufacturing supply chain. We accelerate member collaboration on solutions to top industry challenges through Advocacy, Workforce Development, Sustainability, Supply Chain Management and other programs. Our SEMICON® expositions and events, technology communities, standards and market intelligence help advance our members’ business growth and innovations in design, devices, equipment, materials, services and software, enabling smarter, faster, more secure electronics. Visit www.semi.org, contact a regional office, and connect with SEMI on LinkedIn and X to learn more.

Association Contacts

Samer Bahou/SEMI Corporate
Phone: 1.408.943.7870
Email: sbahou@semi.org

Christian G. Dieseldorff/SEMI US
Phone: 1.408.943.7940
Email: cdieseldorff@semi.org

Chih-Wen Liu/SEMI Taiwan
Phone: 886.3.560.1777
Email: cwliu@semi.org

SOURCE SEMI

Continue Reading

Trending