Cleveland State Community College will use a $100,000 grant from the DENSO North America Foundation (DNAF) to purchase training equipment for the advanced technologies department.
The grant will fund five programmable logic controllers (PLCs) for advanced mechatronics and electrical engineering technology classes at the Tennessee college. Through training on the equipment, students learn to program automation sequences, modify programs and troubleshoot complex systems used in manufacturing.
“This DNAF grant has enabled us to purchase necessary hands-on equipment for our students to practice the ‘how’ along with the ‘why,’” said Tim Wilson, advanced technologies department chair.
Alabama
Wallace Community College Dothan (WCCD) has received a $380,266 grant from the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) to develop “Cyber Range and Beyond,” a training platform that combines virtual simulations and hands-on experience.
The cyber range will replicate real-world IT environments, offering students immersive training in cybersecurity, cyber defense and network management. The initiative will equip students with the technical and problem-solving skills required to protect sensitive information and to secure networks.
Arizona
A $10,000 donation from Cypress Creek Renewables will support the Pinal Promise at Central Arizona College (CAC).
Stacy Gramazio is director of external affairs for Cypress Creek Renewables and president of the Central Arizona College Foundation. According to CAC, she has witnessed the positive impacts that Pinal Promise has had on students throughout Pinal County and that a donation would be an outstanding benefit for county residents.
“All young people in Pinal County should have the opportunity make a college education a reality, and we admire the Foundation’s commitment to upholding the mission of the program that has been going strong since 2001,” Gramazio said.
California
Sacramento City College (SCC) received a $100,000 grant for the third year as part of the Johnson Controls Community College Partnership Program. The funding will help the college enhance on-campus training and educational opportunities for future leaders in the HVAC, digital, fire and security industries.
SCC invested last year’s funding in student success by offering direct scholarships at key points during the mechanical-electrical technology (MET) program, and through awarding each student a set of high-quality tools that they can use as they begin their careers. The renewed funding will continue to support student needs, while also opening doors for new initiatives and projects.
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San Diego Mesa College’s SEEDS Scholars program got a boost with a $400,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). NIFA recently allocated $15 million to support Hispanic-serving institutions in bolstering higher education in the field of agriculture.
The SEEDS Scholars program offers a comprehensive approach to guiding students toward FANH (food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences) disciplines. Students get experiential learning opportunities such as informational interviews, paid internships and engaging activities with USDA partners, farmers and more, exposing them to a range of potential careers in the industry.
One of the main objectives of the SEEDS Scholars program is to increase awareness among Latino/a students about FANH career pathways, with a focus on mission-critical occupations.
“I’m proud that we can offer paid internships so students can apply what they learn in the classroom and develop their professional skills related to food justice, food security and natural resources,” said Waverly Ray, San Diego Mesa College professor of geography. “By addressing sustainability and equity issues with the food system, student participants have the opportunity to use their talents to address one of the most pressing issues of our time: food security in the context of climate change.”
Maryland
Montgomery College (MC) has received a $562,500 campus safety grant through the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) that will go toward a security system for the college’s new East County Education Center. It will include several public safety vehicles to patrol the institution, as well as video surveillance cameras that will augment current security coverage.
New York
The Robin Hood Foundation will award a $930,000 grant to Bronx Community College (BCC) for its Future Now program, which promotes the educational and vocational development of young adults in the Bronx.
The grant will fund services such as free high school equivalency exam preparation and vocational training classes, student counseling and career exploration, along with college preparation and enrollment services to students ages 17 to 24.
Robin Hood, New York City’s largest poverty-fighting organization, has supported Future Now since 2007. Among the goals of the latest grant are to enroll 400 participants in high school equivalency exam prep courses and 120 new students in associate degree programs at BCC. The grant also will provide follow-up and retention services for all enrolled participants, aiming to ensure a three-year graduation rate that is at least 30% of participants enrolled in college.
Of the 1,000 BCC students in the Future Now program, 95% have been impacted by the justice system, including personal incarceration, probation, court involvement and/or have family and friends who have been involved. The Future Now program caters to the needs of the students it serves by providing them with viable pathways to self-sufficiency and lessening their likelihood of recidivism.
Oregon
Central Oregon Community College (COCC) will use a $2.5 million Title III grant from the U.S. Department of Education to support several student success initiatives, including the integration of guided pathways.
COCC has been developing guided pathways for several years. The pathways, eight in all, will include categories of clustered majors like STEM, health sciences and natural resources. Each pathway has an exploratory element so students aren’t “locked in” and can more easily select their ideal area of study.
The grant will support other projects as well, including remodeling a space for a Student Well-Being and Resource Center that consolidates COCC’s food pantry, clothing center, counseling and other critical student services; the formation of a professional development-oriented Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence; and providing access to a comprehensive higher education database for institutional reporting and research.
Pennsylvania
HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, received a $100,000 grant for the second year as part of the Johnson Controls Community College Partnership Program. The funding enhances training and educational opportunities for future leaders in the trades.
HACC used last year’s funding for scholarships, emergency assistance funds, career assistance, industry connections and engagement opportunities for historically underrepresented students who enrolled in electrical technology, HVAC, mechatronics or welding programs.
The renewed funding will continue to support historically underrepresented students enrolled in these programs, while also opening doors for new initiatives and projects.
Washington
North Seattle College’s emergency medical technician (EMT) program recently received a grant of more than $8,000 from the Medic One Foundation to purchase new “Stop the Bleed” wound-packing training aids and automated external defibrillator (AED) trainers.
While wound packing is a relatively new skill in the EMT scope of practice, North Seattle College has added it to its curriculum. The new wound-packing trainers will allow students to practice and hone their skills in a safe, controlled environment. The AED trainers will help EMT students in their cardiac arrest management training.
