A new life sciences facility is in the works for Hostos Community College. New York City Mayor Eric Adams and City University of New York (CUNY) Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez this month announced $12.3 million in funding to lease a new space for the facility.
With the funding from the city, a developer will begin an approximately $70-million renovation of a portion of the historic Bronx General Post Office to develop a modern facility for healthcare programs that will include instructional labs, classrooms and student spaces.
“If it’s good enough for Cornell, it should be good enough for CUNY. There’s no reason our CUNY schools shouldn’t have the same level of resources and access to hands-on learning as their peers across the nation, and our administration is proud to help make that happen,” Adams said.
The new facility is expected to serve up to 5,000 students per semester. Hostos has already identified several new programs it can offer once the facility is ready: surgical nursing, surgical technology, occupational therapy and home healthcare.
“We are so excited to start renovating the building, developing new programs and creating new opportunities for our students to progress socioeconomically,” said Hostos President Cocco De Filippis.
Florida
At Hillsborough Community College, a $154,000 gift from the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation will support education, health and student well-being across the Tampa Bay area.
The Hillsborough College Foundation and the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation have partnered since 2003 to strengthen individual student lives and the broader community. The annual grant supports scholarships and programs that enhance opportunities for students and faculty.
“Supporting education is in our DNA since we were founded by and for educators. Partnering with like-minded organizations helps us support and illuminate the fundamental belief that an educated public is good for all,” said Bob Hyde, vice president of community impact at Suncoast.
Illinois
A $75,000 donation will create more scholarships for Richland Community College engineering technology students.
The gift is from Tallgrass, an energy infrastructure company, and it will expand the company’s Tallgrass Tech program to fund scholarships over the next five years in the college’s applied science and technology division.
Iowa
Hawkeye Community College can relaunch its Senior Companion Program thanks to a $407,940 AmeriCorps grant.
The program was paused on June 30, 2025, after federal funding cuts to AmeriCorps Seniors. At that time, 52 senior companions were serving 81 local clients.
With the new funding, 48 volunteers have returned, and four more will rejoin once they are matched with new companions.
Hawkeye’s program team also is being rebuilt. The college has rehired a full-time administrative assistant and a part-time van driver and is recruiting a program manager.
The Senior Companion Program helps older adults in the Waterloo area live independently at home for as long as possible. In addition to offering companionship, volunteers, all age 55 and older, assist with grocery shopping, meal preparation, light housekeeping and transportation to appointments.
Missouri
North Central Missouri College (NCMC) has secured a $1.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program for Paraprofessionals Grant funds a four-year initiative, providing tuition waivers for students enrolled in the behavioral health and community health worker programs. NCMC also will add a staff member to recruit and support students.
Nebraska
Central Community College (CCC) has received almost $1 million from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The money will help CCC teach mechatronics to working adults and students in adult education programs.
The three-year program started in September and will teach 180 students using online lessons and portable training kits. Students can learn without leaving their jobs.
“This project gives working adults and adult education students a chance to learn important skills in a way that fits their busy lives,” said Dan Davidchik, CCC-Columbus mechatronics instructor and project principal investigator.
CCC instructors and staff also will train industry partners and adult education workers to help students succeed.
North Carolina
Wayne Community College’s computer-integrated machining program has received a $19,500 donation from the Gene Haas Foundation.
Most of the donation – $18,000 – will go toward student scholarships for current and future computer-integrated machining students. The remaining funds are allocated as a faculty travel allowance for professional development.
Pennsylvania
Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) has received $285,441 through the Appalachian Regional Commission’s (ARC) Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies (ARISE).
The funding will allow CCBC to build on its Aviation Pathway model to prepare students for careers as pilots and air traffic controllers. The program helps address workforce gaps in the aviation industry across 20 Appalachian counties in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and South Carolina.
“CCBC has long been a leader in aviation education, and this investment allows us to expand that leadership and reach,” said John Higgs, senior dean of the James M. Johnson School of Aviation Sciences.
The college and its partners will contribute $323,305 in matching funds to the project. Partners include Westmoreland-Fayette Workforce Investment Board, St. Vincent College, Southern Alleghenies Workforce Development Board, USAeroFlight, Piedmont Flight, High Flight Academy and many others across the three-state region.
TRIO grants awarded
More community colleges are receiving federal funding through the U.S. Department of Education’s TRIO Student Support Services program. The grants help to support low-income students, first-generation college students and students with disabilities as they pursue higher education.
- Maryland’s Montgomery College received $286,109, and Prince George’s Community College $440,388.
- In Illinois, Carl Sandburg College’s total TRIO SSS grant, which went into effect with the 2025-26 academic year, is $1.36 million. The college will receive $272,364 per year. Over the five-year grant cycle, Sandburg aims to serve 140 students annually on the Galesburg campus.
- And Santa Fe College (SF) in Florida has received three federal grants totaling more than $4.46 million. Two of the supported programs provide specialized support to veteran and STEM students. Since 1984, the program has served more than 9,000 SF students, helping them stay in school, earn degrees and build meaningful careers.
“The TRIO SSS grants have had a profound impact on our students for more than 40 years,” said SF President Paul Broadie. “Receiving this grant enables us to continue our transformative work, ensuring that students get the support they need to succeed in the classroom and thrive in their careers.”
