In Connecticut, Asnuntuck Community College’s (ACC’s) Women’s Leadership Institute received a $4,000 donation from the Carol Rivest Memorial Foundation. The institute, which was established to help women develop their leadership skills and ability, will use the funds for its Launch Your Leadership Journey program.
This is the sixth donation from the foundation to ACC’s institute.
“The Women’s Leadership Institute will have the ability to offer opportunities and experiences that allow women to grow and become leaders at our campus and throughout life,” said Asnuntuck CEO Michelle Coach. “The impact these funds have made extends beyond our college and into the community.”
The foundation, whose mission is to raise awareness of domestic violence and abuse, raises money during an annual benefit event.
Iowa
Iowa Lakes Community College will receive a renewal grant from the U.S. Education Department to fund its Talent Search program for five more years. The award is expected to total more than $1.9 million.
The program identifies and assists eligible students who have the potential to succeed in higher education and provides free supports. At Iowa Lakes, the program is funded to serve 700 students in grades 6 through 12.
Missouri
A teacher’s legacy continues with a seven-figure donation to Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC).
Long-time Nixa teacher Emma Talbot died in 2020, but her impact on education extends beyond her life. Talbot bequeathed a seven-figure gift to the OTC Foundation. It’s one of the most significant cash gifts the college has ever received from a single donor.
The gift establishes the Talbot Family Scholarship Fund, which will provide financial assistance for up to 40 OTC students each year, with an emphasis on single mothers.
“Ms. Talbot was an outstanding educator who focused on helping her students in and out of the classroom,” said OTC Chancellor Hal Higdon. “Her generous gift allows her legacy to live beyond her lifetime by removing financial barriers for students who seek to better their lives.”
Ohio
Security upgrades are coming to 27 Ohio higher education institutions – most of which are community colleges – thanks to the state’s 2021 Campus Safety Grant Program. The state is awarding a total of $5 million through the grants, which aim to help institutions improve the overall physical security and safety of their buildings.
“It is important as we begin a new school year to provide this opportunity to enhance security and make our campuses even safer for students, staff and families,” said Ohio Department of Higher Education Chancellor Randy Gardner.
Washington State Community College (WSCC) is among the grantees, receiving $316,719. Some of the upgrade plans include replacing WSCC’s entrance doors, enhancing video monitoring systems and taking additional cybersecurity measures.
Texas
Alamo Colleges will use a $50,000 Bank of America grant to continue its work to advance economic mobility. The grant supports students enrolled in the city of San Antonio’s Train for Jobs SA continuing education initiatives.
The funds will help to purchase laptops and industry-specific technology and equipment for up to 85 participants in Alamo Colleges’ IT/cybersecurity and healthcare certificate programs. The equipment will go to participants in areas where a lack of technology is a barrier to completion.
Washington
Whatcom Community College (WCC) has received a $7.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). This will elevate WCC’s National Cybersecurity Training and Education Center (NCyTE) from a local and regional resource to a national source for nationally recognized cybersecurity education advocacy. (See recent article on the topic.)
The grant will be “a tremendous boon for the region,” said WCC President Kathi Hiyane-Brown, and it underscores NCyTE’s partnership with government, industry and education leaders.
“As a former community college instructor and chair of the Senate education committee, I know just how important it is to invest in programs that make college more accessible and create pathways to good-paying jobs,” Sen. Patty Murray (D-Washington) said in a statement. “I am glad to see Whatcom Community College receive this award and am proud to know that this funding will be critical to the professional development of the next generation of cybersecurity leaders coming out of Washington state.”
