New York lawmaker Didi Barrett has secured $300,000 for Dutchess Community College (DCC) in the state’s 2024-25 budget. The funding doubles the $150,000 the college received in 2022 and 2023.
DCC will use the funding to strengthen its DCC CARES program, which provides emergency assistance and holistic support for students struggling with housing, food and other urgent needs. The program connects students to a range of resources — such as housing assistance, food pantry services and financial aid for transportation, medical care and childcare — helping them stay on track academically.
During the 2023-24 academic year, DCC CARES served more than 314 students, with 146 receiving emergency grants for various critical needs. The program also provided housing assistance payments to seven students and helped 36 others secure housing in DCC’s residence hall. Impressively, 83% of students who received emergency grants persisted through to the next semester, transferred to other institutions or graduated.
“Everyone deserves the opportunity to follow their dreams and pursue their education, unburdened by the stress of unstable housing and food insecurity,” Barrett said. “Dutchess Community College has done an amazing job working to remove these barriers to education, and I was honored to once again secure funding in this year’s budget for this crucial program to continue supporting the success of DCC students.”
Illinois
Highland Community College’s (HCC) agriculture program is getting new equipment thanks to a grant from Adkins Energy. The program will use the funds to buy a bovine ultrasound and birthing simulator, which will allow students in the animal science and veterinary programs to gain experience in bovine birthing and ultrasound procedures in a controlled educational setting.
“With this simulator, our students will have the opportunity to develop crucial skills that will set them apart in today’s competitive job market,” said Olivia Kepner, an agriculture instructor at Highland.
Nebraska
The Gene Haas Foundation recently presented a $50,000 check to the advanced manufacturing design technology (AMDT) program at Central Community College. The funds are earmarked for student scholarships. This latest donation brings the total amount that the Haas Foundation has donated to CCC to more than $320,000.
Twenty ADMT students attended the check presentation. Elizabeth Wolfe, a first-year student, expressed her gratitude for receiving the scholarship funds.
“The scholarship I received helped me get the required tools for my computer numerically control courses,” Wolfe said. “I will put some of the money towards a laptop for my required classes which include my SolidWorks design class.”
Nevada
A $20,000 grant from the Carson City Board of Supervisors will help Western Nevada College (WNC) provide mental health support to more students.
WNC students are receiving high-quality mental health counseling services free of charge for the 2024-25 school year. Student response to the services from BetterMynd, including 50-minute therapy sessions, has been significant, according to the college. Since being introduced this fall, students have participated in the counseling sessions and many others have examined the mental health resources available on the website.
New Hampshire
Great Bay Community College (GBCC) has received a $60,000 grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation to support college access and completion for residents of the Dover and Portsmouth Housing Authorities.
This funding will enable the college to help individuals in the community who face financial barriers to gain access to educational opportunities that may have previously been out of reach.
“This program provides critical support and services to seacoast residents so that they can successfully accomplish their educational goals,” said GBCC President Cheryl Lesser. “Grant funds enable us to remove barriers and break a cycle of poverty.”
Residents of the Dover and Portsmouth Housing Authorities will receive a wide range of support services, such as academic coaching, access to program exploration and connections to key social service resources in the region.
Ohio
Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) will receive a $54,358 grant from the Delta Dental Foundation to support the expansion of the dental hygiene program, helping to fill a vital workforce need in northeast Ohio.
The program currently accepts 22 students each year, with plans to expand enrollment to 28 students annually by using the grant for additional training equipment and minor remodeling.
“Increasing our capacity will greatly reduce our current one-year waitlist,” said Anne Myatt, director of the Tri-C dental hygiene program. “Additionally, more students and community members will have access to low-cost, quality preventive and therapeutic dental hygiene care with additional student hygienists providing care in our Dental Hygiene Clinic.”
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College has received a $49,500 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to support the purchase of equipment and supplies for its new location in Centre County.
The grant offers crucial financial support for Centre County, helping cover the $99,000 cost of supplies and equipment for the new facility.
“We want to emphasize the positive impact this grant will have as we work to provide new types of quality, affordable educational opportunities to students in and around Centre County,” said Associate Vice President of Finance Omar Strohm. “We want our students to have the most impactful resources available at their disposal.”
Texas
El Paso Community College (EPCC) will use a $50,000 Microsoft grant to expand its capacity in artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives at the college.
Through the grant project, the college will develop best practices in AI use and provide guidance to educators on key focus areas beyond the classroom, informed by workforce needs and demands. Students will gain opportunities to engage directly with AI technologies and techniques.
One such opportunity occurs through the college’s “Hack the Border” initiatives, which aim to increase cybersecurity awareness in the era of AI. It enables students and the community to participate in activities that incorporate AI tools, techniques and paradigms into everyday scenarios, such as hackathons, datathons and AI analytics competitions.
