The Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) Foundation’s Skills to Succeed Campaign has surpassed its $50 million goal. This campaign aligns with regional needs and challenges to connect everyone to more opportunities, especially Cleveland’s core communities and those who are underrepresented in the workforce.
“Through the Skills to Succeed Campaign, we have partnered with our community to create a future where everyone, regardless of where they live, is trained for a job where they can earn what they need to care for their family,” said Tri-C President Michael Baston.
Gifts from the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation, the Cleveland Foundation and the PNC Foundation have advanced community access to Tri-C through youth programs encompassing the humanities, arts and advanced technology training.
A historic grant from KeyBank invests $2 million to grow innovative, accessible workforce training at Tri-C to address employment and earnings gaps in Cleveland. And grants from the state, the federal government and other public investment greatly amplified the support Tri-C has been able to offer students, especially those with the greatest challenges.
The campaign and its success were announced during the April 14 Baston Bash in honor of Tri-C’s newly inaugurated president.
“While we are thrilled to have reached our $50 million goal, we know there is still work to be done to ensure that every student is prepared for the jobs of the future,” said Megan O’Bryan, president of the Tri-C Foundation and vice president of resource development. “Tri-C continues to see a need for scholarships, cutting-edge technology in high-demand fields and holistic student support systems to promote equity in our community.”
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Sinclair Community College’s aviation maintenance training program got a boost with a $650,000 National Science Foundation grant, as announced by Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio).
“We unleash more American innovation when we nurture Ohio talent,” Brown said. “This award will help Sinclair Community College students prepare for careers at good-paying, skilled jobs, and continue Ohio’s leadership in innovation.”
Alabama
A $5,000 grant to Wallace State Community College will help to educate students about healthy and unhealthy relationships. The grant comes from the Megan Montgomery Foundation whose mission is to prevent relationship violence before it starts.
Wallace State will provide training for faculty, staff and student ambassadors on intimate partner relationship violence and their role in helping to prevent it. The participants may, in turn, use the same training tools to engage students in honest conversations around healthy and unhealthy relationship behaviors, and strengthen a community of respect and safety.
Georgia
Atlanta Technical College (ATC) has received a donation from Porsche Cars North America (PCNA). The gift – for an unspecified amount – was announced at the opening of a second public driving track and new Porsche Classic facility, the centerpieces of expanding the PCNA headquarters campus, which is located less than five miles from ATC.
The donation will go toward ATC’s Gap Funding program, which covers the cost of a student’s education after federal or state financial aid has been exhausted.
Minnesota
Minnesota State Community and Technical College (M State) is continuing its commitment to affordability thanks to a new $100,000 grant award from the Minnesota State Educational Development and Technology Unit. The grant will support the implementation of two new Z-Degree programs, which students can complete without spending a single cent on textbooks.
M State’s Psychology Transfer Pathway program and associate of applied science in business degree will become “Z-Degrees” as early as fall 2024. Both are two-year, 60-credit programs. They will be among the first Z-Degree options in the state to go beyond a basic associate of arts degree.
The college currently has one Z-Degree program, the two-year associate of arts-liberal arts and sciences Z Degree.
It’s estimated that college students in Z-Degree programs save about $2,000 a year.
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A Rochester couple has donated $130,000 to the Rochester Community and Technical College (RCTC) Foundation to fund scholarships and aid academic programs over the next three years.
While choosing to remain anonymous, the couple shared their reasons for making a gift to RCTC, saying, “We have both benefitted from affordable higher education and are grateful to have RCTC continuing that important work.”
The gift includes $90,000 to create the Mildred Montag Scholarship fund, which will fund scholarships for qualifying students enrolled in nursing programs.
The anonymous benefactors have made additional gifts to RCTC, including $25,000 to create a matching gifts fund for nursing scholarships, $10,000 to create the Miranda Fund to benefit theater programs at RCTC and $5,000 to support the RCTC HIVE Supply, the campus-based food pantry.
New York
Bronx Community College (BCC) has received a $250,000 grant from the New York State Department of Labor to support its Unemployed/Underemployed Worker Training Program.
The grant will support two IT training programs that create a career path and in-demand employable and technology-transferable skills for participants.
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Cayuga Community College has received $400,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds via the Oswego County legislature. It will use the money to develop the Oswego County Regional Police Academy to train pre-employment and in-service law enforcement personnel.
The academy, located at Cayuga’s Fulton campus, will provide students with more access to law enforcement careers and provide local agencies with an expanded pool of qualified candidates.
