North Carolina’s Central Piedmont Community College received a $48,000 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation to support the college’s utility line worker program.
Central Piedmont announced the creation of its lineworker program in late 2022 with classes and training beginning in July 2023. Duke Energy provided a start-up boost by giving the college a grant of $500,000. The Pike Corporation also helped by providing equipment to establish the program at the college’s Harper Campus.
The program’s first class graduated on December 15. As the college continues to grow the program, its goal will be to produce more than 100 graduates every 12 months.
Massachusetts
North Shore Community College (NSCC) has received $40,000 from the Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Partnership (CDEP), which has a primary goal of increasing the number of college-ready high school graduates.
The NSCC Early College program currently serves about 1,000 students annually, with CDEP serving more than 1,100 students in the last five years.
“Early-college programming is proven to be a strong motivator for college attendance, as well as a way to break down equity barriers in education. NSCC is proud to have a full portfolio in this arena, along with the commonwealth’s first on-campus early college high school in the Frederick Douglass Collegiate Academy in Lynn,” said NSCC President William Heineman.
Michigan
A new $1 million endowment will double the size of the Reading Nursing Scholarship program at Washtenaw Community College (WCC).
The funding comes from Ann Arbor philanthropists Agnes and Stephen Reading, who originally established the scholarship program in 2022 with a $1 million endowment. It now totals $2 million and provides 20 full-ride nursing scholarships each year for WCC students.
Scholarships are awarded primarily based on need to students planning to transfer to Eastern Michigan University (EMU) to complete their bachelor of science in nursing degree. The scholarship covers tuition, books, uniforms, clinical fees and other costs for nursing students.
“We know firsthand the impact nurses have on their patients, and we know WCC trains the best. Because of WCC’s low tuition rates, our gift goes a long way and enables even more students to focus on their rigorous studies without having to worry about how they’re going to pay for school,” Stephen Reading said.
In addition to the $2 million endowment to fund scholarships in perpetuity, the Readings have given $100,000 — $50,000 each in 2022 and 2024 — to jumpstart students enrolling with the award.
New Jersey
Hudson County Community College’s Gateway to Innovation program has received a $25,000 grant from the Citizens Philanthropic Foundation.
The Gateway to Innovation program focuses on workforce development and financial empowerment. The program provides students, alumni, community members and employers with essential support, skills training, experiential learning and connection to employment.
Virginia
Patrick & Henry Community College (P&HCC) will use a $149,140 grant from the Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission to expand healthcare training capacity in nurse aide, clinical medical assistant, medication aide and phlebotomy technician programs.
The expansion of programs both on P&HCC’s main campus and in partnership with programs at the Franklin Center for Advanced Learning & Enterprise will increase credentials and help place medical professionals in jobs in the area, according to the xollege.
The P&HCC Foundation will provide a dollar-for-dollar match to supplement the commission’s funding.
