Georgia’s Savannah Technical College (STC), in partnership with the Liberty County Board of Commissioners and Liberty County Development Authority, will receive nearly $60,000 in grant funding through the state Defense Community Economic Development Fund. These funds will allow for the expansion of commercial truck driving training for transitioning service members and military spouses.
STC will hire additional part-time faculty to supervise student driving, which will increase enrollment by 64 additional students. Active duty service members, veterans and their spouses will receive priority enrollment in these additional course offerings.
“As a hub for regional transportation, the opportunities for growth in the logistics employment sector are unlimited in Liberty County,” Allen Brown, Hinesville mayor and chair of the Liberty County Development Authority, said in a release. “It is a great fit to have transitioning service members move into one of our area’s growing industries.”
One in four STC students is a veteran, active duty service member or a military dependent/spouse.
California
Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) received a $113,000 grant from the California Community College Chancellor’s Office to support current and formerly incarcerated students.
“During the past two years, SRJC has established new programs to serve currently and formerly incarcerated populations. This grant will help provide additional resources to support students in both the IGNITE program for jail populations and our Second Chance program for formerly incarcerated students,” said Pedro Avila, vice president of student services.
The SRJC Second Chance Program for formerly incarcerated students includes weekly club meetings to support students committed to maintaining sobriety and building new positive relationships. Also provided are academic, career and personal counseling.
Mississippi
Coahoma Community College (CCC) was selected from more than 60 other historically black colleges and universities for a $50,000 Retool Your School Campus Improvement Grant from Home Depot. Funds will be used to refresh a campus courtyard, renovating it into a multi-function space. The hope is to create an area conducive to student leisure, as well as a congregation hub for meetings and events.
CCC received the grant due in part to voting through social media posts and online votes cast on the college’s behalf. CCC received well over 215,000 votes during the competition.
Ohio
Washington State Community College (WSCC) is poised to address the nation’s nursing shortage thanks to a $245,000 Regional Job Training grant from the Buckeye Hills Regional Council. The college will advance its newly established nursing pathway, Education and Advancement to Registered Nurse (EARN).
EARN is designed to meet the immediate needs of local healthcare providers by helping students progress through WSCC’s practical nursing program and then onto its associate degree nursing program while working in the healthcare field. This pathway is specifically designed to attract students who are prepared to work as they learn.
With the grant funding, the college plans to hire more nursing faculty in response to increased enrollment.
Members of the Buckeye Hills Regional Council recently presented a check for the Regional Job Training grant to WSCC President Vicky Wood. The grant supports the institution’s EARN Pathway. (Photo: WSCC)
