North Carolina’s Alamance Community College (ACC) received a $1 million gift from LabCorp to purchase state-of-the art laboratory equipment and supplies. The gift will benefit students and instructors in ACC’s biotechnology, medical laboratory technology, histotechnology and agricultural-biotechnology programs.
The partnership between ACC and LabCorp spans several decades. They collaborated to launch ACC’s biotechnology program in 1985, the medical laboratory technology program in 1988 and the histotechnology program in 2018.
“LabCorp’s commitment to us exemplifies the types of successful partnerships that exist between local industry and Alamance Community College,” ACC President Algie Gatewood said in a release.
Wake Technical Community College’s Finish First initiative will be expanded to all 58 North Carolina community colleges, thanks to a $554,000 grant from the John M. Belk Endowment. Finish First is a data tool created at Wake Tech to help students and their advisors chart the shortest path to successful completion of degrees, diplomas and certificates. The technology identifies students at the college who are close to earning a credential and advises them of their fastest route to getting it. It also finds students who may not have realized that they’ve already earned a credential on their way to an associate degree.
“This is an incredibly helpful tool that works to ensure that students accurately track their achievements and finish their academic progress with a certificate or associate degree,” Wake Tech Senior Vice President Bryan Ryan said. “We’re thrilled to be able to share it with other community colleges across the state.”
The Belk Endowment awarded the funding to the North Carolina Community College System, and the State Board of Community Colleges allocated it to Wake Tech.
Alabama
Gadsden State Community College received a $1,000 Good Roots Grant from the Alabama Power Foundation to enhance a green space on the Wallace Drive Campus. A team of faculty and staff members will create a green space to promote healthy living and social well-being for students. The funds will help to purchase trees.
California
San Bernardino Valley College’s (SBVC) Valley-Bound Commitment Program will use a $25,000 Wells Fargo Foundation grant to cover costs for 25 first-year students. The program works to remove economic barriers of the first year of college so students can concentrate on their studies. In addition to covering the cost of classes and fees, students also receive educational guidance and support from SBVC faculty and staff.
Georgia
Gwinnett Technical College will use a $100,000 gift from Mingledorff’s Inc. to create the Mingledorff’s HVAC Scholarship Endowment and continue the expansion of Launch Pointe, the college’s center for career experience. Launch Pointe provides work-based learning and career development and gives students opportunities to participate in internships, apprenticeships and entrepreneurship experiences.
Virginia
Patrick Henry Community College (PHCC) nursing students will benefit from a $50,000 gift from Martha Lou Henry. The donation creates the Martha Lou Henry Endowed Nursing Scholarship to help students with the cost of tuition, textbooks, supplies, uniforms and testing fees. The gift also includes a $10,000 allowance for immediate student needs within the nursing program.
Henry worked as a nurse at Children’s Medical Center for more than four decades. She passed away in 2018.
“By passing on her nursing legacy in this way, Martha is providing a wonderful opportunity for our students — opening doors for them to pursue bright futures,” said Tiffani Underwood, interim executive director of the PHCC Foundation.
