Funding roundup

Lakeshore Technical College President Paul Carlsen introduces Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, who announced new funding for LTC. (Photo: LTC)

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers was on Lakeshore Technical College’s (LTC’s) Cleveland campus last week to announce the college was selected to receive $1.64 million through the governor’s Workforce Innovation Grant program.

The grant will support LTC’s Lakeshore Industry 4.0 Pathways and Upskilling initiative. The initiative will fund training and education to help underserved populations and upskill current workers in automation, robotics and “Industry 4.0,” which refers to a new phase in manufacturing that focuses heavily on automation, machine learning and real-time data to optimize performance.

Equipment purchases will include an additional mobile lab that will allow Lakeshore to take training to places in the community, including homeless shelters, community resource centers and rural high schools, and reach underserved populations. The mobile lab will also be taken into area rural high schools to generate interest in manufacturing careers among younger individuals. 

California

A $975,000 federal grant will expand a San Diego Community College District program that provides free online textbooks and resources to students.

The Community Funding Project grant came through the support of Rep. Scott Peters.

“Students in higher education experience high levels of stress and face many challenges, but paying for essential materials like textbooks should not be one of them,” Peters said in a statement. “The San Diego Community College District’s program that provides free online textbooks and resources is a shining example of how we should support students in pursuing their academic goals.”

The grant money will help to develop more low-cost print options or zero-textbook-cost courses, which use digital materials that are free to students.

Colorado

In less than 90 days, the Community College of Aurora (CCA) will break ground on its newest building, the first in over two decades. The Center for STEM, Power Mechanics, and Applied Technologies, will house CCA’s most in-demand programming and career training solutions.

The project is underway thanks to the support of the Arapahoe County Commissioners’ $3.5 million American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) contribution. In addition, Pat Hamill, chairman and CEO of Oakwood Homes, Bruce Wagner, CEO of Wagner Equipment, and George Eidsness, president of Transwest, have come together as a tri-chair team to commit another $2 million to the project.                                              
“The erection of this new building will ensure that social and economic mobility remain a driving and continued focus for all of our students. Furthermore, this building signifies our institutional commitment to meeting the workforce needs of our business and industry partners,” CCA President Mordecai Ian Brownlee said in a release.

Set for completion by summer 2024, the center will operate on the college’s CentreTech Campus with a projected footprint of close to 55,000 square feet.

North Carolina

Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) graduate Neil Coggins has donated $10,000 to establish the Fix-It Plumbing Scholarship Endowment at his alma mater. The scholarship will benefit students in the industrial systems or building construction technologies programs.

Fix-it Plumbing Services began in 1982 as a part-time job for Coggins while he was enrolled at CCCC.

“CCCC is definitely special to me and close to my heart being that the two years I was enrolled directly helped me to be where I am today,” Coggins said. “The knowledge and skills obtained through the two-year industrial maintenance program opened the door to qualify and obtain a great job after graduation.”

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More than $300,000 in specialized software and technical support for manufacturing industries was donated to Wake Technical Community College by InstantGMP. The gift will support the college’s biopharmaceutical technology program.

“The key for maintaining FDA compliance and producing good quality products is training. Wake Tech’s biopharmaceutical technology program is essential for ensuring quality and compliance in the manufacturing industry,” InstantGMP President Richard Soltero said in a release.

The company’s gift includes a InstantGMP PRO all-in-one manufacturing and quality system with unlimited term license, 45 additional unlimited term licenses and 100 hours of implementation. The company also has included free software upgrades as part of the gift.    

Pennsylvania

Bucks County Community College has received a $250,000 School-to-Work grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry to create student pathways to employment. The grant will support the college’s industrial skills training programs.  

Bucks is offering its metalwork and industrial maintenance pre-apprentice training programs to high school seniors, recent high school graduates and others that are looking to kickstart a career in advanced manufacturing.  Beginning in February, training will take place at the college’s new Center for Advanced Technologies. Through the school-to-work grant the training will be provided free to participants.

“These career training programs bring together employers and trained talent. Bucks continues to strive to provide education and career opportunities for people whether they are seeking a degree or aiming to go directly to the workforce,” said Bucks President Felicia L. Ganther.

Texas

Houston Community College (HCC) Central received a $3.3 million grant from the U.S Department of Education for first-generation college students and those from low-income households. The grant will boost HCC Central’s efforts to prepare students to graduate from high school, enroll into a postsecondary program and complete their programs of study. Funding will be distributed over the next five years to offer pre-college support services to 131 students a year.

“This grant illustrates HCC’s commitment to ensuring that each of our students have the resources they need to succeed in high school, be prepared to enter a post-secondary program — without needing remediation – and to successfully graduate with a college degree,” said HCC Central President Mudassir Siddiqi.

About the Author

Tabitha Whissemore
Tabitha Whissemore is a contributor to Community College Daily and managing editor of AACC's Community College Journal.