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MJI awarded federal grant to launch high-tech

computing curriculum.

SHELLI LIEBMAN
DORFMAN

Staff Writer

I

first met Congressman
Joe Knollenberg 10
years ago in a trailer, set
in a field off a dirt road near
the future site of the
Michigan Jewish Institute,"
recalls Rabbi Kasriel
Shemtov, MJI's chief finan-
cial officer.
Dov Stein, MJI director of student opportunities and
When they met most
promotion ; Joe Katz, MJI trustee; Rabbi Kasriel
recently, on June 21, it was
Semtov, MJI CFO; and U.S. Rep. Joe Knollenberg
to celebrate the announce-
ment of a $497,050 program
grant for the school, from
Varied Offerings
the U.S. Department of Education.
Among
other MJI curriculum are a
"In a time when money is being spent
study abroad program, a two-year asso-
on things we didn't anticipate; like the
ciate of applied science degree and a
war on terror and homeland security,
dual enrollment series offering classes
we are happy to be able to do what we
on the Holocaust, Jewish civilization
can for continuing education programs
and modern Hebrew language for high
like this one," U.S. Rep. Knollenberg,
school juniors and seniors. Participating
R-Bloomfield Township, said.
students may receive both high school
"The grant will be used for a new
undergraduate program in the emerging and college credits with several public
school districts contributing toward
field of cooperative computing," said
tuition costs.
Paul Levine, MJI director of marketing
With a student body of 250, Rabbi
and student development. "Cooperative
Shemtov's
hope is for MJI to eventually
computing includes two big areas on
also
offer
a
graduate degree program.
the horizon: the sharing of computing
The
student
body and staff of the
power and the sharing of network
school are currently utilizing both an
resources. We will be teaching our stu-
Oak Park facility and classrooms in the
dents to do both."
Shul-Chabad Lubavitch in West
With this summer's hiring of new
Bloomfield, where Rabbi Shemtov is
directors and administrators, the pur-
rabbi.
chase of new equipment and planning
A second congressionally directed
of the new curriculum, the first 20-30
grant
of $225,000 — received earlier
students are expected to enter the pro-
this year — will be used toward reno-
gram's introductory classes this fall.
vation of an academic activities facility
"Scholarships will be available —
including pre-loaded notebook comput- at the Shul and for construction of a
7,500-square-foot MJI college center.
ers — for students piloting the curricu-
The new building — whose con-
lum," Levine said. "The admissions
struction
is expected to begin within
process will be very selective; we want
the
next
year
— will house MJI's
students who will succeed in the new
administrative
offices, a student coun-
program."
seling center, classrooms and a com-
Advanced curriculum courses will
puter lab. It will also house the school
begin in 2005.
library until a freestanding library is
MJI, an independent four-year
constructed.
accredited college, offers bachelor of
"We hope the grant will allow us to
applied science degrees with a concen-
institute
a program that will be a pilot
tration in both business and informa-
for other schools," Rabbi Shemtov said.
tion systems and computer information
"But we've already come a very long way
systems that includes the option of
teaching certification as a CIS instructor from a time when we held our meetings
in a makeshift trailer-office." ❑
for secondary schools.

*Annual Percentage Rate is effective as of NOvember 21. 2003.
The interest rate of 3% is compounded quarterly. Penalty for
early withdrawal. Business or brokered accounts not eligible.
Rates subject to change without notice.

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Atilt

MICHIGAN HERITAGE

6/25
2004

18

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