Funding roundup

Cynthia Aldrich (center) with Arkansas State University-Mountain Home Chancellor Robin Myers and Mollie Morgan, the college's development officer. Aldrich endowed two scholarships at the college. (Photo: ASUMH)

Arkansas State University-Mountain Home (ASUMH) students will benefit from two new scholarships endowed by Cynthia J. Aldrich. One scholarship, which received more than $100,000, will help current or former members of the armed services. Aldrich lived and worked in Saudi Arabia during the Desert Storm conflict and has helped veterans all her life, according to college’s press release.

The second scholarship, endowed for more than $200,000, will help women attending the college.

About the gifts, Aldrich said, “When it was time for me to go to college, there weren’t scholarships available for me, so my parents had to take out loans to help me attend school. I want students who have financial needs to have a resource available to help them.”

Connecticut

Manchester Community College received $20,000 from the Aurora Women and Girls Foundation to fund its initiative for female students interested in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). MCC’s Women in STEM initiative (WiSTEM) helps increase persistence and graduation among women pursuing STEM degrees and prepares them for careers in those fields.

The key components of WiSTEM include coordinated coursework and STEM topics, co-curricular seminars, guest speakers, visits to baccalaureate institutions and STEM workplaces, dedicated advisors and interventions for at-risk students.

WiSTEM started with the help of an initial grant from Aurora in 2016. Since then, some 60 women have participated in the initiative. Many have continued their STEM educations at public and private four-year institutions in the state.

Louisiana

Sowela Technical Community College received a $1 million donation from TC Energy for the college’s new Pipeline Academy, which will give students hands-on experience in oil and gas work. The academy will include a pipeline training area at the college’s Process Technology Center.

The funding also supports four scholarships for Sowela students.

New York

Monroe Community College’s (MCC) Be A Healthy Hero Summer Camp can expand thanks to a $1.3 million investment from the Greater Rochester Health Foundation. The camp provides physical and academic enrichment for local children and youth.

Now in its sixth year, the camp has more than doubled in size to serve the health and wellness needs of nearly 800 Rochester children. The funding from the Health Foundation ensures the program’s future through 2021. The foundation’s initial $597,000 grant helped launch the camp in 2014.

 Virginia

Germanna Community College (GCC) will use a nearly $200,000 grant to help Virginians prepare for new, in-demand careers.

The funding comes as part of a new $2.75 million Virginia Community College System investment in the FastForward Virginia workforce training programs. The grants develop new and expand existing high-demand training programs. GCC’s project aims to enhance student access to training and earning credentials in various National Institute of Metalworking Skills (NIMS) skill sets.

The funding will help cover the costs of purchasing training equipment and instructional supplies, updating curriculum, training new faculty and marketing the program. Funds will provide for part-time bilingual staff to serve as intake/service coordinators who will work directly with students, and create templates and processes for these new credential programs.

About the Author

Tabitha Whissemore
Tabitha Whissemore is a contributor to Community College Daily and managing editor of AACC's Community College Journal.
The owner of this website has made a committment to accessibility and inclusion, please report any problems that you encounter using the contact form on this website. This site uses the WP ADA Compliance Check plugin to enhance accessibility.