Funding roundup

HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, is celebrating a $1.3 million bequest from Gloria W. Paxton. The gift will establish the John E. Paxton and Gloria W. Paxton Fund for Excellence in STEAM, which will provide access to advanced programming and technology for HACC students enrolled in science, technology, engineering, arts and math programs.

Among the programs planned are the Full STEAM Ahead mentoring program for underrepresented or marginalized first-time college students and Achieving the STEAM – a selective admissions, cohort-based cybersecurity program that would provide access to full-ride scholarships and off-campus housing stipends. HACC also wants to implement zero-cost textbooks and video classrooms to provide accessibility to in-class experiences for students at all campuses.

Paxton passed away in 2017. She and her husband, John, who passed away in 2007, lived in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

California

California’s San Bernardino Valley College has received a $50,000 grant from Edison International to expand training opportunities for students looking to work in the automotive industry, specifically on electric vehicles. The funding will help to purchase equipment, including a vehicle trainer for instructional purposes and for curriculum development. The college plans to develop stackable certificates for clean energy electric vehicle technician training.

Colorado

Lamar Community College (LCC) will grow its student success efforts using a $2.25 U.S. Department of Education grant. The college will use the funds to increase enrollment and outcomes for underserved student populations, and to improve LCC’s ability to effectively improve student outcomes through proven strategies.

Among these strategies is the development of the MAP to Success Center, which will integrate advising with career goal development and co-curricular activities. Goals of the project include strengthening cultural responsiveness to better serve Colorado’s growing Latinx population and increasing distance-learning opportunities for students in more remote areas of LCC’s service area.

“As a rural college, it is important to serve all types of students, including those from underserved and economically disadvantaged populations,” said LCC President Linda Lujan. “This highly competitive grant will enable us to extend our reach and provide even more opportunities for residents of southeastern Colorado.”

Maryland

Hagerstown Community College (HCC) will use a $48,000 grant from the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation to grow construction trades apprenticeships in Washington County. The college will develop pre-apprenticeship training, with curriculum defined by the National Center for Construction Education and Research. The classes also will serve as a feeder for Registered Apprenticeship programs in HVAC, electrical, plumbing and carpentry offered through the Barr Institute at the Cumberland Valley Associated Builders and Contractors chapter in Hagerstown.

Massachusetts

Mount Wachusett Community College has received a $42,000 grant from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education that will boost technological integration in the college’s automotive technology courses while funding a free class this summer to introduce people to the program. The grant, along with matching funding from the college, also will allow MWCC to purchase laptops for use specifically in the automotive classrooms, and introduce a new kinesthetic online learning platform, ELECTUDE, which is used for corporate training as well as educational training. It allows students to troubleshoot various automotive repairs in a virtual environment. 

Mississippi

East Mississippi Community College’s (EMCC) automotive technology program has grown with the donation of two Toyota Corollas from the Carl Hogan Toyota dealership. The vehicles will allow students to hone their automotive skills. Three graduates of EMCC’s automotive technology program work in the service department at the dealership.

“We are really excited about what EMCC has going on over there in that program, and we want to help out in any way we can to get these students ready to go to work,” said Jonnie Moore, general manager at the dealership. “If we give them Toyotas to work on, it will make it a little easier when they come over here to work for us.”

North Carolina

Pitt Community College raised more than $42,500 at its spring fundraiser thanks to a good cause and a unique location. More than 300 people attended the Accelerating the Future (ATF) fundraiser, which took place in a pair of privately owned airplane hangars.

“The unique setting really provided a great atmosphere and, based on the overwhelmingly positive feedback we’ve received, topping this year’s event will be difficult,” said PCC event specialist Erin Greenleaf.

In addition to dinner and music, the event featured a display of cars and aircraft and a silent auction, which included a tiny house built by PCC building construction technology students. A Greenville resident placed the winning bid: $25,000 for the 228-square-foot home.