Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) and Worcester State University have received grants totaling $1.6 million from the governor’s administration to expand capacity to meet the continuing demand for skilled nurses in Massachusetts.
The $1 million grant to Worcester State and $600,000 grant to QCC build on a partnership between the two institution’s nursing programs. They have an agreement that enables QCC registered nurse (RN) graduates to seamlessly transfer to Worcester State’s bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program.
In 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, Worcester State and QCC absorbed some 200 nursing students from Becker College when it announced it was closing. The grants provide ongoing support for the program expansion needed to accommodate the new students.
The schools will focus on growing pathways for RNs to earn a BSN degree and for BSN graduates to earn a master’s degree in nursing.
Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito announced the Nursing Pathways Grants during a visit this month to QCC’s Healthcare and Workforce Development Center. The event was attended by healthcare leaders from UMass Memorial and St. Vincent Hospital, who will partner with Worcester State and QCC in the work.
Alabama
A $950,000 U.S. Education Department grant will fund an Advocacy and Resource Center (ARC) at Northwest-Shoals Community College (NW-SCC).
The ARC project will support at least 300 underserved students who will benefit from services such as a food pantry, mentoring and life coaching, professional counseling and referrals, assistance with housing and utility services, transportation assistance, aid with childcare services and access to technology and help with course software.
The funding “will not only impact those directly served by the grant but their families and communities as well by removing barriers associated the issues of poverty and mental health and providing opportunities to enter the workforce with the skills essential to succeed,” NW-SCC President Jeff Goodwin said in a release.
Louisiana
With $20,000 in seed funding, Northshore Technical Community College (NTCC) plans to launch a new program next month to train students to enter the mental health field as psychiatric technicians. The donation comes from the American Association of Psychiatric Technicians.
The goal of NTCC’s psych tech program is to prepare students to provide safe, therapeutic patient care to individuals who have mental and behavioral health needs in an effective and ethical manner.
“This new program at NTCC will help provide much-needed trained professionals to begin mental health care careers,” NTCC Chancellor William Wainwright said.
New York
Bronx Community College’s (BCC’s) Future Now program just received a $100,000 grant from the Pinkerton Foundation.
Future Now promotes the educational and vocational development of its at-risk students. The program offers free high school equivalency (HSE) classes, job training, counseling, tutoring, peer mentoring and college enrollment support.
The new grant will provide a group of 50 Future Now students with an opportunity to enroll in various allied health training, including phlebotomy and electrocardiogram, with an emphasis on serving those who have experienced some type of involvement in the justice system.
North Carolina
Cleveland and Montgomery community colleges will enhance their agriculture programs thanks to grant funding from Carolina Farm Credit.
Cleveland Community College will acquire new equipment to improve its technical rescue training courses in machinery and agricultural rescue training. And Montgomery Community College will use its grant to offer training to the local fire departments and rescue squads in agriculture rescue, including purchasing specialized equipment to facilitate this training.
In total, Carolina Farm Credit awarded more than $152,000 to 25 local non-profit organizations and 12 college students for its 2022-2023 Corporate Mission Fund grant program.
USDA grants
Several tribal colleges are receiving grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to improve infrastructure and create economic opportunities in rural areas.
Bay Mills Community College in Michigan will use a $348,017 Tribal College Initiative Grant to improve the educational services and curriculum for students. The college will, among other things, purchase equipment to establish a media lab with digital content creation capability, upgrade existing equipment and supplies in their science and health sciences department, and obtain and upgrade IT equipment for a recently approved bachelor’s degree program.
Arizona’s Diné College will use a $344,895 grant to help complete a livestock holding facility that will be used to conduct educational workshops on handling livestock.
With a $348,017 grant, Aaniiih Nakoda College (Montana) will perform maintenance on seven campus buildings. The project will improve the aesthetic appeal of the campus and prevent structural damage.
And Sinte Gleska University in South Dakota will use its $344,895 grant to repair campus buildings and to add security camera systems across the campus.
