College of the Mainland (COM) will use a $20,000 donation from COM board trustee Alan Waters and Yolanda Nino-Waters to establish the Latinas Adelante Scholarship. The gift will expand opportunities for Latina women to achieve their higher educational goals at the Texas college.
“Given the level of funding required to educate an individual, it is imperative that those of us who are professionals and mentors participate in changing the lives of young people who aspire to earn an education,” said Nino-Waters. “It is especially important to me that Latin women who have shown the initiative to establish themselves academically, achieve a better life through education.”
Roughly 50% of COM’s student population represents a minority ethnic group. COM is working to increase student success across the diverse communities it serves. Nino-Waters hopes to keep the momentum moving forward to continue addressing the growing needs of the Latin community.
“It is my hope that fellow community leaders, business owners and professionals contribute to this coveted and prestigious scholarship fund,” Nino-Waters said.
California
The Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) has received five federal Community Project Funding grants totaling $2.85 million. The grants will fund a variety of programs, including workforce development, student support services and a basic needs pilot.
The Community Project Funding (CPF) grants provide direct funding for specific projects in larger congressional spending bills. Each one must be publicly sponsored by a member of Congress.
“This is an example of government working for the people who would most benefit from this public investment in human capital, and forward-looking policies that will result in greater equity in education,” LACCD Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez said in a release.
One of the funded projects is a student basic needs pilot at Los Angeles City College. It will support 500 unique students enrolled in at least six units. In addition to providing direct resources such as food aid, housing assistance and health services, the LACC Basic Needs Project will provide textbooks, test fees, course supplies, transportation, success coaches and tutoring for the program participants.
A $350,000 CPF grant will support two student support services centers at Los Angeles Southwest College, the Re-Entry Initiative for Success in Education (RISE) Center and the Family Resource Center. These centers will provide services and resources to students from underserved populations to help them continue their education.
CPF grants also will allow the district to develop a healthcare workforce program at East Los Angeles College and expand short-term training to non-traditional students at Los Angeles Valley College and Los Angeles Mission College.
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Also in California, San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC) Foundation has received $150,000 for scholarships.
The award is the second of its kind from the Jay Pritzker Foundation, which earmarked a total $100 million to donate to the California Community College system over 20 years. SBVC and other in-state community colleges will use the funds for the Finish Line Scholars Program, an initiative that provides scholarships and assistance to students who are near finishing their degree, certificate or transfer studies within two years.
Georgia
Students at Georgia’s 22 technical colleges will benefit from a new grant. The Technical College System of Georgia Foundation (TCSGF) received $100,000 from the Coca-Cola Foundation to boost TCSGF’s Last Mile Fund, which provides assistance to students who may have otherwise discontinued their education due to financial constraints.
“This grant means more students can fulfill their dreams of completing their education, earning a postsecondary credential, and joining Georgia’s dynamic workforce,” said TCSG Commissioner Greg Dozier.
Illinois
City Colleges of Chicago’s Malcolm X College (MXC) has launched the Opioid-Impacted Family Support Program (OIFSP) using a $2.1 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration.
Students in the new community health worker program will receive training to provide care and services to children and families affected by opioid and substance abuse. The grant will cover tuition, fees and book costs and will provide a stipend of up to $7,500 for the training course.
The program includes two phases. Phase one is a one-semester certificate program to become a community health worker. Phase two is a year-long paid apprenticeship and mentorship program.
Massachusetts
North Shore Community College (NSCC) will receive a $14.1 million state bond investment to create a Life Science Pathways Center on its Danvers campus. The project will include renovating six biology, chemistry, anatomy and physiology, biotechnology and prep labs, and complete renovation of HVAC and student lab areas to include advanced technology and state-of-the-art equipment.
The current labs are “26 years old and inadequate to prepare students for the major industries in the Metro-Boston area, especially in healthcare and STEM industries,” said NSCC Interim President Nate Bryant. “NSCC needs educational space for today’s environment in order to prepare students with the industry-relevant laboratory experiences they require to be competitive in the healthcare and STEM workforce.”
New Jersey
With a $10,000 grant, Union County College will establish a men’s volleyball team for spring 2022. The grant is from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and First Point Volleyball Foundation.
“With the addition of a men’s volleyball team at Union, we are able to engage more students in athletics while they earn a high-quality education,” said Union President Margaret M. McMenamin.
This will bring the total number of sports offered at Union to 17.
The college also received a donation of $9,500 from the Summit Foundation to support the Operation Graduation Fund, which aims to raise graduation rates. This is the second time the foundation has contributed to the fund.
Since the start of the campaign six years ago, the college’s graduation rates have continued to climb, now exceeding both the state and national average for community colleges. The Operation Graduation team works with faculty and staff to identify students who may need extra support, both academically and financially, to graduate on time.
Virginia
A $1.11 million Go Virginia grant to Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) will go toward implementing the Dual Enrollment Expansion Program for Information and Engineering Technology (DEEP-IET). The goal of the program is to develop regional workforce capacity in IET careers.
NOVA will collaborate with the Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance, the Loudoun County Economic Development Authority and local school districts to support the regional goal of producing IET talent by investing in faculty development and student support structures. Students in the program will have mentoring services, career readiness activities and internship opportunities.
The Go Virginia program – or Growth and Opportunity for Virginia – is an $11.1 million initiative to help advance economic recovery efforts in the state.
