In New Jersey, the nursing program at Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) received a $100,000 donation from the Somerset Hills Community Health Foundation (SHCHF). The gift will fund 10 full scholarships — the first full scholarships in the nursing program’s history — at $7,500 each, with an additional $25,000 to help offset textbook and nursing program expenses for dozens of other nursing students.
“The fruits of this support will pay dividends to the community for years, as our nursing grads go on to serve countless lives in their careers as health professionals,” said Linda Romaine, chair of the RVCC health science education department.
California
Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC) and Los Angeles Mission College (LAMC) will use $400,000 in federal Community Project Funding to expand workforce development and biotech programs, according to an announcement by Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-California).
“Valley and Mission colleges are no stranger to building up and investing in the next generation of leaders and innovators,” Cárdenas said. “This $400,000 we secured for additional training programs will help our future STEM workforce build the skills needed to thrive.”
Cárdenas also thanked the Los Angeles Community College District “for working with our office to bring much-needed federal dollars to the San Fernando Valley. Together, we will inspire and empower current and future diverse STEM leaders.”
Florida
Indian River State College (IRSC) will establish a National Electric Vehicle Consortium (NEVC) using a $2.74 million National Science Foundation grant. The goal of the NEVC is to alleviate an immediate shortage of skilled technical workers across almost every sector of the electric vehicle (EV) industry.
The consortium will focus on manufacturing, installation, operations, maintenance, repair, vehicle conversion, safety and standards and emerging technological advances within the EV sector. IRSC will lead efforts that link academic, agency, and industry experts across all EV disciplines, including 15 community colleges, 19 industry partners, two research universities, and NSF Advanced Technical Education Centers and projects.
Workforce projections estimate that the all-EV industry will add 250,000 to 500,000 new high-paying jobs by 2030.
“This synergistic EV Consortium is designed with national solutions in mind,” said Kevin Cooper, IRSC executive director of innovation and business development. “It creates the first critical mass of experts focused on addressing the need for EV technicians in the U.S.”
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Valencia College is receiving $500,000 in federal Community Project Funding for a solar system at its Poinciana Campus that will reduce the campus’s utility costs and become an environmental showcase in the community. The project will transition the campus from being powered 100% by fossil fuels to being powered almost 40% by solar energy.
Valencia College will provide matching funds to support the project.
“This project will harness the power available to the Sunshine State to better serve our Poinciana students, create jobs, and modernize our district’s infrastructure,” said U.S. Rep. Darren Soto (D-Florida).
Louisiana
A $1 million donation to the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) Foundation will help jumpstart the MJ Foster Promise Program, a state-funded financial aid program that will help qualifying residents attend two-year colleges or approved proprietary schools and receive training for high-demand jobs in growing sectors.
LCTCS President Monty Sullivan and LCTCS Director of Advancement Tarie Roberson met with Entergy Louisiana President and CEO Phillip May, Gov. John Bel Edwards, Louisiana Senate President Page Cortez, Louisiana House Speaker Clay Schexnayder and Louisiana Commissioner of Higher Education Kim Hunter-Reed for the June 2 announcement. The group discussed how the MJ Foster Promise Program was developed, supporting legislation and what the program solves.
According to LCTCS, tens of thousands more adults will need to earn credentials beyond high school to fill jobs in Louisiana over the next decade. The MJ Foster Promise Program, a $10.5 million state fund, was created to address that need.
“Over the last six years, we have made higher education and workforce development a top priority with record investments spanning faculty pay increases to facility improvements to the creation and passage of the MJ Foster Promise Program,” Edwards said. “This Promise program will help remove the financial barriers for our adult citizens to access the life-changing training and career preparation that occurs at our community and technical colleges.”
Massachusetts
Cape Cod Community College’s aviation maintenance technology (AMT) program has received a newly retired aircraft from MIT Lincoln Labs. The FalconJet N448TB will live in one of the college’s three hangar spaces at a local airport for students to use for training.
Along with the aircraft, the college also is receiving a donation of parts, tools and testing equipment to supports students in the AMT program. The FalconJet is a government surplus donation that the college was awarded after successfully bidding on the use of the retired equipment.
North Carolina
Central Piedmont Community College’s Accelerated Career Training (ACT) program has received a $300,000 gift commitment from TowneBank. Launched in 2018, the program provides short-term training tracks, no-cost job training, and the support services local residents need to become work-ready in a matter of weeks.
Wisconsin
Western Technical College is a recipient of a $22,593 youth fire training grant from the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS).
The grant provides funding for equipment and supplies with Western’s Youth Fire Fighter Training program, now beginning its second year this fall. The program, located at the Onalaska Fire Department, helps provide dual-credit opportunities for high school students interested in basic fire safety certification or Western’s fire protection technician program.
Last year, the program helped nine local students earn credentials in these fields.
“Public safety training remains a core mission at Western,” said Western Technical College President Roger Stanford. “Much of the district we serve lies in rural areas, making recruiting and retaining volunteer firefighters difficult. This grant, along with the program, is helping provide students with opportunities earlier than ever before.”
