The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announced that 44 U.S. colleges and universities were awarded nearly $1.5 million in grants through the 2022 Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students (IDEAS) Program grant competition.
Among the grant recipients are 10 community colleges, including Lone Star College (LSC), which plans to expand study abroad opportunities.
“These programs give our students the chance to experience different cultures and opens the door to personal growth and discovery,” said LSC Chancellor Stephen Head.
Fox Valley Technical College in Wisconsin will use its $35,000 grant to create a faculty-led, two-week program in the Bahamas designed for nontraditional study abroad students within the agriculture and natural resources areas.
The grant to Heartland Community College (HCC) will support the expansion of international programs to bolster the experience of students studying agriculture, health sciences, and career and technical education.
HCC students will have opportunities to learn about the effects of climate change on agriculture with a study abroad program in South Africa. The Illinois college will build on existing programs for health sciences students and staff to collaborate with professionals in Tanzania. Also supported by the grant is a student exchange program with Finland that focuses on renewable energy and industrial technology.
Massachusetts
The 15 community colleges in Massachusetts will each receive $735,000 workforce training grants from the state. The grants will help to create and expand training programs in high-demand industries, such healthcare, education, manufacturing, information technology and cybersecurity.
“It is crucial that we provide more residents with quality training options and eliminate the gaps between what skills the Massachusetts workforce has, and what skills employers need,” Gov. Charlie Baker said in a release.
Bunker Hill Community College will partner with the Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges to jointly administer the grant program, working with the state office of education, and state office of labor and workforce development, and regional workforce investment boards.
Michigan
Mott Community College (MCC) will use an $8,281 grant to grow Ellen’s Closet, which provides MCC students – free of charge – with professional and business attire for job interviews, new jobs or special events.
The grant comes from the Christopher Stallworth Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint.
“Having appropriate clothes for job interviews and internships is a huge confidence boost for our students,” said Carla Clark, acting executive director of student academic success.
Montana
Flathead Valley Community College (FVCC) received a $1 million donation from local philanthropist, Lola Vulles. Her donation supports the Stewart Family Performing Arts Wing in the Wachholz College Center, set to open this fall.
The arts section of the facility is named for Vulles’ parents, Dr. Charles E. and Lottie (Hartsoch) Stewart. A veterinarian by trade, Vulles said her father was a born farmer and spent his life gathering up acres of land when he could to build a better life for his family.
Vulles grew up in northwest North Dakota, moving around often to follow her parents’ jobs or to find a country school with teachers. She experienced first-hand how difficult it can be to find an education and saw other families with many kids trying to make ends meet and get schooling.
Although times have changed since she was in school, Vulles says she was moved to support FVCC through friends she made in a speed-quilting class.
“I took a speed-quilting class at FVCC, which led me to a 25-year career sewing five days a week. My quilters group was all retired teachers and they explained how difficult it can be for people to access an education they want,” Vulles said. “Through my personal experiences and learning about difficulties people face getting a good education, supporting FVCC and its students is a joy.”
Pennsylvania
Lehigh Carbon Community College’s (LCCC’s) Design Den creative makerspace has received a $1,000 grant from the PPL Foundation.
Beginning this fall, the Design Den will teach students in LCCC’s teacher education classes how to integrate STEAM principles into lesson plans and curricula. It also will promote professional development for LCCC education faculty.
The makerspace will be a resource for school districts, area schools, colleges and universities and other community partners and will serve as a hub for STEAM-related summer camps, after-school programs, Saturday programs and field trips for area school children.
New York
With a $1.5 million grant, Suffolk County Community College will work to increase the number of low-income, academically talented STEM students who succeed in college.
The Improved Support for Undergraduates in Community College Engaged in STEM Studies (I-SUCCESS) grant will allow the college to scale up and boost existing resources, develop new student support and cohort-building opportunities and provide scholarships.
One of the new programs the grant will fund is a mentoring program, with faculty positioned strategically across campuses and within STEM disciplines to serve as role models and advisors.
Virginia
A $10,000 grant will build on Piedmont Virginia Community College’s (PVCC’s) Higher Education in Prison Program, which was established in 2016. With the funding from Virginia Humanities, PVCC will collect original writing in the form of personal storytelling from incarcerated PVCC students and then create a theatrical production drawing from these personal testimonies.
