Kirtland Community College (Michigan) will use a $10,000 grant from the Consumers Energy Foundation to support its fall Kickstart program, which introduces incoming students to the experience of college life and its courses.
“The Kirtland Kickstart program is a great way for new college students to build confidence while beginning college,” said Cesalee Kuffel, Kirtland admissions coordinator. “It is not just about registering for classes, but a well-rounded list of programming that creates success strategies from study habits, to support services and career planning.”
California
San Diego College of Continuing Education (SDCCE) will use a three-year, $169,387 grant from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office to launch its first Rising Scholars Program.
Set to begin in August, the Rising Scholars Program aims to eliminate barriers to education for students affected by the criminal justice system. The program provides individuals with academic and personal resources, including legal rights referrals, community service connections and reintegration support. Students also will receive academic counseling, peer mentoring, career training, mental health support and more.
“For the first time ever in our 110-year history, San Diego College of Continuing Education has received funds to deliver highly targeted resources and support to justice-impacted students who are so ready and willing to change the trajectory of their lives,” said SDCCE President Tina M. King.
Federal TRIO funding
The U.S. Education Department is awarding hundreds of grants to community colleges through its TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) program, which helps to improve college retention and graduation rates among low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities.
Among the grantees is Nebraska’s Northeast Community College, which received a $272,364 grant. Since 2015, which marked the first year the college received a TRIO award, the program has served more 800 students at Northeast, helping them stay in school, earn degrees and build meaningful careers.
For Holyoke Community College (HCC), its $423,000 grant marks the continuation of more than 30 years of TRIO SSS services at the Massachusetts college. Since 1993, the program has served thousands of HCC students.
Georgia
The Technical College System of Georgia has received more than $6 million in federal funding to strengthen job training by expanding apprenticeship programs.
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Georgia) secured the funding through the U.S. Department of Labor’s State Apprenticeship Expansion (SAFE3) grant program.
“I want to help Georgians who otherwise lack access to job training and skills training get those skills, get that experience, and get these jobs,” Ossoff said.
Iowa
Eastern Iowa Community Colleges (EICC) announced a combination of state, private and community support totaling $1.65 million has fully funded the expansion of Muscatine Community College’s (MCC) Industrial Technology Center.
The project represents a 50% expansion of the current facility, allowing MCC to significantly increase its capacity to deliver high-demand career and technical programs, including welding and CNC machining. The 5,360-square-foot addition is now under construction. Completion is expected by late fall.
Most of the funding – $1 million – came from a State of Iowa Career Academy Incentive Fund Grant. Foundations and individual contributions covered the rest, along with a $325,000 EICC match for local contributions.
“Our success is built on partnership,” said Muscatine President Naomi DeWinter. “When the college identifies a need, we bring together our partners in government, business and the community to make it happen. At the core of it all is student learning, which changes lives and builds communities.”
New York
The Health Foundation for Western & Central New York has awarded Cayuga Community College $50,000 to support the development of a practical nursing certificate program.
The new program will provide a pathway for students to earn a licensed practical nurse certificate while working toward their registered nurse credential. The college is working with community partners in Oswego County to co-design the program.
The Health Foundation grant was awarded as part of an annual initiative made possible by a 2022 gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.
Wisconsin
Lakeshore College welding and HVAC students will benefit from a $25,000 donation from the Plumbers & Steamfitters UA Local 400 union. The funding will establish a scholarship through the college’s foundation.
Students enrolled in HVAC installation, welding fabrication and industrial welding programs can apply for these new scholarships.
