A $250,000 award from the Gene Haas Foundation will support no-cost training workshops and summer camps for adults and youth at Richard J. Daley College in Chicago. The workshops, programs and summer camps will increase awareness and help more people enter careers in manufacturing and focus on computer numerical control (CNC) machining and manufacturing engineering technology.
“The funds will enable us to offer skilled training classes in manufacturing. These programs will help people get that all-important first job or prepare them for their next promotion at their current manufacturing employer,” said David Girzadas, dean of advanced manufacturing at Daley College.
California
Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) received $6 million from the Sonoma County District Attorney’s settlement with Pacific Gas & Electric Company over criminal and civil charges related to the 2019 Kincade Fire.
“This investment will enable SRJC to grow and expand these programs that train the next generation of firefighters and wildfire resilience professionals in Sonoma County. We are ready to step up for our community,” said SRJC President Frank Chong.
Humanities grants
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) recently awarded $33.2 million in grants for 245 humanities projects across the country. A few community colleges were in the mix.
Community College of Baltimore County will receive about $150,000 for a three-year project incorporating humanities into preprofessional courses. LaGuardia Community College, with the NY Research Foundation, received $35,000 to develop an interdisciplinary curriculum that focuses on the social, cultural and historical contexts of health, medicine and medical ethics. And a $35,000 grant to Seattle Central College will support a project to bridge the civilian-military divide.
Massachusetts
Massasoit and Springfield Technical community colleges will move forward with capital projects after receiving $30 million each in state funding.
Massasoit Community College’s “Transformation through Renovation” project will benefit its science, nursing and allied health programs. The college will renovate 63,000 square feet, affecting 30% of the Brockton campus’ buildings. That will lead to flexible lab spaces that are compatible with different disciplines and also support remote instruction. With new facilities, students can work more collaboratively using the latest technologies.
“This past fall, 34% of our students were enrolled in one of the programs that will benefit the most from the Transformation through Renovation. Our graduates are on the front lines of healthcare and are embedded in science and research institutions across the state,” said Massasoit President Ray DiPasquale.
Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) will use its funding to relocate healthcare programs. The current building, constructed in 1941, houses 18 degree and certificate allied health programs as well as the SIMS Medical Center. The healthcare programs in the School of Health and Patient Simulation educate more than 700 students per semester and employ over 120 faculty and staff.
“The relocation of the programs in the School of Health and Patient Simulation will allow STCC to continue to prepare students for healthcare careers. The investment in this project represents an investment in the City of Springfield and the region,” said STCC Board Chair Marikate Murren.
Mississippi
East Central and Meridian community colleges will share a $1.4 million grant from Accelerate Mississippi, the state’s workforce office, to grow their utility lineworker programs. The colleges, which serve six rural counties, will work to double the number of lineworkers they train to help with workforce demand by the Mississippi Power and the East Mississippi Electric Power Association.
New Hampshire
A $2.6 million state investment will help to expand the Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) licensed practical nurse (LPN) training program. It will double the state’s LPN workforce programming to meet critical needs in hospitals, long-term care facilities and other healthcare settings.
“To make investments into our economy, we must make necessary investments into our workforce – and doubling our LPN nursing program is the right move,” Gov. Chris Sununu said in a release.
The CCSNH LPN training program launched in 2020 at River Valley Community College and expanded to Laconia and Littleton. It can be completed within one year of study and provides immediate entry into the LPN level of nursing workforce. The program also provides LPN graduates with an opportunity to continue their education and progress to the RN level.
New Jersey
The Union County College Foundation raised more than $265,000 at its Virtual Beach Ball Casino Gala in February. It was the second most successful fundraising gala over the past 10 years.
The funds will support student success efforts, including scholarships, equipment, facilities, academic programs and special projects.
North Carolina
Haylee Shuping, wife of fallen Concord Police Officer Jason Shuping, has established a $25,000 endowed scholarship in her husband’s name at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College to support students enrolled in the college’s basic law enforcement training (BLET) program.
Shuping, 25, was shot and killed by a carjacking suspect in 2020.
“As someone who helped in supporting my husband through the basic law enforcement training (BLET) program at Rowan-Cabarrus, I understand the sacrifices cadets make in choosing to be part of the program,” Haylee Shuping said. “Many cadets are unable to be employed while in the program due to the long hours required in class, and they must rely on their partners or families for financial support. Before this endowed scholarship, there was no specific funding available to assist BLET cadets.”
“I am touched by Haylee Shuping’s grace and generosity in honoring her husband by assisting students who want to make a difference by pursuing a career in law enforcement,” said Rowan-Cabarrus President Carol Spalding.
Scientific equipment donation
Up to 23 community and technical colleges are receiving free bioprocessing equipment from Scientific Bioprocessing, Inc. (SBI) and BioMADE. The equipment – valued at up to $368,000 – will bring real-time solutions to biomass monitoring and bioprocessing technology training resources to community college classrooms nationwide.
The equipment was donated to the colleges through a selective fellowship process. SBI Digitally Simplified Bioprocessing Fellowship participants will use the equipment in their classrooms and can collaborate with other fellows on applications and curriculum over the course of the two-year program.
At Harford Community College in Maryland, the equipment will enable students in the newly revised biotechnology program to replicate experiences found in biomanufacturing facilities, including the addition of training modules in upstream processing. Upstream processing consists of steps related to the development of microorganisms, nutrient preparation, cell culture, cell separation and harvesting.
And through the fellowship, the college can increase access to resources related to career awareness and workforce development.
“Additional collaboration facilitated by BioMADE and partnerships between community colleges and corporations like SBI are important to our shared goal of developing a well-educated and diverse biomanufacturing workforce, and I look forward to working with BioMADE members,” said Jacyln Madden, Harford’s associate professor of biology and biotechnology.
Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) also will use the equipment in an upstream bioprocessing course.
“Using this equipment and software will facilitate achieving several course objectives, including generating experimental data to use in presentations of scientific information,” said Brenda Grubb, a CCCC biotechnology faculty member.
