STEM Superstars
JENNIFER SCHU
When Timilehin Olofinyolemi of Lansdowne was named a 2025 Goldwater Scholar, it was a tremendous honor for the Delaware County Community College graduate. Awarded by the Barry S. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation, the Goldwater is considered the most prestigious scholarship for college sophomores and juniors who are pursuing STEM research and are likely to become future leaders in research.
“When I came to the U.S. from Nigeria, I needed to get the best, cheapest and easily accessible education I could find,” says Olofinyolemi, who received his associate degree in Engineering from the College in 2024. “DCCC provided me with that.”
He adds, “DCCC has a strong STEM program. The Calculus series stands out to me, especially the Calculus 2 I had with Dr. Getnet Gidelew. It cemented my love of engineering and problem solving.”
He is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Computer engineering at Temple University and plans to eventually pursue a Ph.D. with a focus on medical data analysis.
Positioning students for success
Olofinyolemi’s story is just one of many recent student successes in DCCC’s STEM programs. The College’s STEM offerings—Mathematics & Natural Science; Engineering; and Science for Health Professions—prepare graduates to either pursue immediate employment after graduation or transfer to four-year institutions and continue their education in allied health, pre-medical, engineering, biotechnology fields and more.
DCCC’s STEM Division has over 120 faculty (full-time and part-time) and staff and 15,000 credit enrollments across its multiple disciplines and locations.
Erisa Murati of Media, who graduated from DCCC in May 2024 with an associate degree in Science for Health Professions, was awarded the Neumann University Full-Ride Scholarship, which covers the full cost of tuition for two years at Neumann for Murati to complete her bachelor’s degree. During her time at the College, Murati worked part-time as a laboratory assistant, served as an officer of the Student Government Association, and was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Her goal is to become a physician.
Jay Rhoades of Ridley Park, another May 2024 graduate, was a Mathematics/Natural Science major focused on Biology. He served as a work-study student with the Earth and Space Science department as a laboratory assistant, assisting in creating microscope adapters that provide a higher level of accessibility to students in Biology courses. He now attends West Chester University where he is majoring in in Cellular and Molecular Biology. After earning his bachelor’s degree, he plans to attend graduate school related to medicine and pathology and hopes to work in a pathology lab.
“DCCC provided me with a great opportunity to build upon my foundational understanding of biological and chemical processes while developing essential laboratory skills and critical thinking,” says Shamir Wylie of Darby ’25, a Science for Health Professions major whose passion is Chemistry and a career in a research lab. “The smaller class sizes at DCCC allow for meaningful engagement with professors and peers, focusing on our shared goals.” He plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Laboratory Science.
High caliber faculty focused on teaching
More than 70 percent of DCCC STEM faculty members have Ph.D.s, classrooms and labs are equipped with smart technology, and the College has partnerships with local employers actively recruiting DCCC students, including Lockheed Martin.
“One of the things I love most about teaching STEM at DCCC is the strong sense of community I get to build with my students,” says Ashley Woolfork, Ph.D., assistant professor of Chemistry. “With smaller class sizes, I have the opportunity to truly get to know each student on an individual level and they get to know one another, too.”
She adds, “Another aspect I really value is the diversity of the student population. The mix of backgrounds brings such rich perspectives to our classroom discussions. For example, last semester, one of my students was a lab technician working in hospital radiology. When we covered nuclear chemistry, she shared her firsthand experiences with the class. It was phenomenal; she brought a level of insight that went beyond what I could provide from textbooks alone.”
Dr. Woolfork got to know DCCC as a visiting postdoctoral research fellow from the University of Pennsylvania’s PennPORT program, which combines a traditional mentored postdoctoral research experience at Penn with a mentored teaching experience at a partnering institution. Each year, DCCC hosts two PennPORT fellows.
DCCC Biology Professor Robert Suran—who earned his doctorate in Biochemistry, Molecular, and Cell Biology at Cornell University—loves teaching at a community college. “We offer small class sizes and faculty entirely focused on teaching. Unlike at most universities, students have the same classmates and professors for both lecture and lab. That allows faculty to ensure lab activities are relevant to what students are learning in lecture and creates a sense of community.” Dr. Suran also connects students with career and internship opportunities, such as the Wistar Institute’s Biomedical Technician Training Program.
Fantastic facilities
The light-filled, four-story STEM Center on Marple Campus houses 105,000 square feet of space for education in science, engineering and mathematics and was designed to promote the latest trends in STEM education, including small-group collaboration, hands-on learning, the use of multimedia tools, smaller class sizes and cross-disciplinary approaches. It offers new, advanced laboratories equipped with the latest equipment and technology.
The STEM Center houses 19 classrooms and 11 science laboratories for the study of human anatomy and physiology, biology, chemistry, earth and space science, physics and astronomy. An architectural suite encompasses two computer-aided design laboratories, a resource room and a blueprint reading room. There are numerous collaboration rooms for group study—such as a fully-equipped Anatomy & Physiology study room.
DCCC’s Downingtown Center in Chester County has a dedicated STEM Wing and leading-edge Nursing SIM lab. The 16,000-square-foot facility makes it more convenient for students residing in Chester County to pursue programs of study in Science for Health Professions and Mathematics/Natural Sciences as well as complete courses in health studies, pre-engineering and pre-nursing.
Career-building opportunities
As Dean of DCCC’s STEM Division, Umadevi Garimella, Ph.D. has successfully expanded and strengthened its programs, resulting in enhanced workforce skills and increased student internship opportunities.
“We are continually improving our courses and working alongside faculty who uphold academic integrity while providing strong student support,” says Dr. Garimella. “Through partnerships with organizations like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, PECO, and the Wistar Institute, our students gain access to competitive internships, hands-on research, and summer programs. These experiences prepare them to transfer successfully to top four-year institutions and thrive in the STEM workforce.”
As a DCCC Mathematics and Natural Science major, Sarah Alkurdi ‘25 of Bryn Mawr had the opportunity to take part in advanced biomedical research last summer after being selected to participate in the highly competitive Wistar Institute Biomedical Technician Training Program (BTT). The Wistar Institute is a Philadelphia-based global leader in biomedical research with special expertise in cancer, immunology, infectious disease and vaccine development.
“It was an unforgettable experience and opened my eyes to the world of medical research,” Alkurdi says of the paid internship, an opportunity she applied for through the College. She plans to pursue her bachelor’s degree at Drexel University.
Seven DCCC students took part in the paid, credit-earning 12-week apprenticeship program at BTT last summer, which is run by Kristy Shuda McGuire, Ph.D., Wistar’s Dean of Biomedical Studies. It is facilitated by DCCC’s Student Employment and Co-Op Center and DCCC faculty liaisons Dr. Suran and Bela Dadhich, Ph.D.
The Wistar Institute is a Philadelphia-based global leader in biomedical research with special expertise in cancer, immunology, infectious disease, and vaccine development.
BTT is a paid, credit-earning 12-week pre-apprenticeship program designed to respond to the growing demand for well-trained laboratory technicians and research assistants in life sciences.
“The program is impressive, as the students are learning cutting-edge technology with leaders in the field,” Dadhich said. “It is a phenomenal opportunity.”
A DCCC faculty member since 2001, Dr. Dadhich earned her doctorate in Molecular in Microbiology from Drexel University, where she studied DNA replication in E.coli. Dr. Dadhich did post-doctoral research at Thomas Jefferson University, working on proteins involved in cancer.
Tatiana Bowman-Vailes ’25 of Collingdale also participated in the BTT program last summer. “I’ve always been interested in science, but due to a lot of self-doubt I never thought I’d be able to pursue it,” she says. At DCCC she found her flame in bioinformatics, which uses computational tools to analyze biological data from labs studying various pathogens and diseases. Ultimately, she’d like to pursue a master’s degree in either bioinformatics or biotechnology with a concentration in bioinformatics and then land a position as a bioinformatician/research technician.
Dr. Dadhich sums up well what STEM education at DCCC is all about. “I am guided by inspiring a sense of curiosity in each learner, helping them develop the confidence to succeed in life. My primary goal is to create an inclusive and supportive environment where all students feel encouraged to reach their full potential.”