Funding roundup

Santa Monica College's film production program received a grant from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association to make two student films. (Photo: SMC)

California’s Rio Hondo College is collaborating with Central Oregon Community College on a $778,000, three-year National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technological Education grant project. The goal is to develop a safety certification program for technicians who work on electric and fuel cell vehicles. It’s the second NSF grant received by Rio Hondo’s alternative fuels technology program, which trains students and industry technicians to work on alternative fuels vehicles.

The two colleges will meet this month to set up a timeline for the project, which will likely include setting up a classroom at each college to beta-test developed concepts with collaboration from industry experts.

“There’s tremendous demand from the industry for technicians capable of working on high-voltage vehicles,” said John Frala, who heads Rio Hondo College’s alternative fuels program. “This is a national safety certification project – together with Central Oregon, we’re the only ones taking on this challenge.”

Santa Monica College (SMC) is the first college to receive a grant from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). SMC’s film production program received a $30,000 fellowship grant. The HFPA grant will fund production expenses for two student films to be made for SMC’s Making the Short Film course — one of the culminating classes for both the associate of science degree in film production and associate of arts degree in film studies.

“Santa Monica College directly serves the underrepresented students the HFPA aims to provide with equal opportunities to pursue their passion. With the gift of this grant which will go toward the school’s film production program, we look forward to the great accomplishments these aspiring filmmakers will achieve in their bright future,” HFPA President Meher Tatna said in a release.

Illinois

McHenry County College will use a $7,480 Bridging the Gap grant from the Illinois Community College Board to create a new course for students who struggle with math. The college will develop a new co-requisite math class, designed to allow students who are not prepared for college-level math to receive the support they need to complete a credit-bearing, college math course.

Maryland

Harford Community College (HCC) will promote science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers using a $648,953 NSF Scholarships in STEM (S-STEM) grant. The funding will allow HCC to financially assist academically talented biology and engineering students. Scholarship recipients will be a part of HCC’s HI-StEM (High Intensity Student Engagement Model) program, a cohort learning community led by STEM faculty.

Massachusetts

Bristol Community College (BCC) has received its largest gift in the college’s history: a series of gifts totaling approximately $2 million from the Harold and Virginia Lash Trusts. The funds will go toward new, modern anatomy and physiology labs. The Harold and Virginia Z. Lash Health and Science Fund will be established to purchase new equipment and equipment maintenance for health and science programs. The funding also supports two existing scholarships: the Virginia and Harold Lash Endowed Scholarship and the Virginia Lash Memorial Endowed Scholarship.

The late Harold and Virginia Lash have long been donors to the college. BCC’s Lash Enrollment Services Center, the Lash Center for Teaching and Learning and the Lash Scholarships are the results of their generosity.

Pennsylvania

CCBC President Chris Reber and Benedum Foundation Vice President Jim Denova mark the creation of a new tri-state energy and advanced manufacturing consortium. (Photo: CCBC)

The Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) is the recipient of a $150,000 gift from the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation. The college will work to create and lead a tri-state consortium of industry leaders, higher education providers, workforce development boards and others to prepare a trained workforce for energy and advanced manufacturing jobs. CCBC will convene the partners to develop a coordinated approach to meeting the region’s employment needs.

“I believe that the community college system is the most strategically positioned agent for workforce development in our region. Training at certificate and associate degree levels is crucial to preparation for the majority of all new jobs, and the tristate region of Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and Northern West Virginia represents a single labor shed and commuting area,” James Denova, vice president of the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, said in a release.

Washington

Spokane Community College students in the Skilled Trades Program (STP) will benefit from extra support thanks to a $50,000 grant from the Washington State Department of Transportation. The 11-week pre-apprenticeship program gives students experience in a number of trades before choosing one. The program focuses on providing opportunities for women, minorities and economically disadvantaged individuals to get into trades. The grant will support students with costs for equipment, childcare and transportation.

About the Author

Tabitha Whissemore
Tabitha Whissemore is a contributor to Community College Daily and managing editor of AACC's Community College Journal.
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