The Boeing Company has awarded a $250,000 grant to Renton Technical College (RTC) to support the expansion of the Renton Promise program.
Renton Promise offers up to full tuition coverage to graduates of Renton high schools attending the Washington college.
“Our grant will help local high school graduates gain the skills they need for rewarding careers at Boeing and other community employers,” Bill McSherry, Boeing vice president of government operations, said in a release. “This partnership with Renton Technical College, the Renton School District and the City of Renton will empower more students to build bright futures.”
Boeing is the first private-sector partner and the largest contributor currently supporting Renton Promise. Additionally, Boeing sponsors scholarships and employs many RTC graduates.
Renton Promise began with 2024 graduates. To date, it has served more than 160 Renton students.
Alabama
A $10,000 grant from the Tillotson-Menlo Charitable Foundation will help to expand training for Gadsden State Community College’s nursing program on the Cherokee campus.
“Enhancing our training resources on the Cherokee Campus ensures that our students have access to the tools and experiences they need to succeed in today’s healthcare environment,” said Joey Battles, dean of health sciences.
Illinois
The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) announced $9.3 million in Innovative Bridge and Transition (IBT) grants to support initiatives that help state residents transition better into postsecondary education, job training and high-demand careers. The grants, awarded to community colleges and partner organizations, expand access to bridge programming, adult education pathways, wraparound supports and transition services designed to meet the needs of learners and employers.
“These grants allow our colleges to build strong, seamless pathways that help learners gain the skills they need, connect with in-demand industries, and ultimately achieve long-term economic mobility,” said ICCB Executive Director Brian Durham.
The IBT grants support projects that serve adults and youth who may face academic, linguistic or socioeconomic barriers to college and career entry. Students receive targeted instruction, advising and hands-on training.
Among the grantees is Shawnee Community College. It will leverage its $262,000 grant along with another state grant to acquire a mobile innovation lab designed to enhance career and technical education and allied health and nursing programs, expand dual-credit opportunities, support workforce and community education and strengthen wraparound student support services.
Black Hawk College received $202,000 to create an Integrated Career & Academic Preparation System welding program specifically for adult English as a second language (ESL), GED and high school diploma students.
“Receiving IBT funding is a huge win for our GED and ESL students,” said Liz Hogan-Wells, associate dean for adult and continuing education. “It is just another way we can support their transition from adult education to high-demand employment.”
New Jersey
Grocery retailer Stop & Shop donated $7,500 to the Bergen Community College Bergen Cares Center food pantry.
Bergen student Julia Huber relied on the Bergen Cares Center as a new mother facing food insecurity.
“Imagine being a student in today’s economy, trying to move forward, trying to build a better life while inflation rises,” she said. “Now imagine walking to a place on campus where those worries suddenly have real solutions and staff smile at you and say ‘you are not alone.’ That is the difference the Bergen Cares Center can make for students like me.”
Huber now works in the Cares Center.
New York
Bronx Community College (BCC) has received a $100,000 grant from the Louis and Rachel Rudin Foundation, a longtime supporter, that will go toward scholarships for nursing students.
It is largest single grant BCC has received from the foundation, which has provided the college with a total of $2.45 million in support for nursing scholarships since 1981.
North Carolina
Central Carolina Community College will use a $5,000 Nourishing our Neighbors grant from the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation to restock its Ruby McSwain Cougar Markets this winter.
The grants support community feeding partners by helping neighbors increase their access to nutritious food and providing nutrition education to eliminate health risks for those experiencing food insecurity.
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Wake Technical Community College engineering and welding students will soon gain advanced skills to collaborate with smart machines thanks to a nearly $1 million National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education (ATE) grant.
The project will launch an industry-validated, interdisciplinary training program to prepare electronics engineering, mechanical engineering and welding students for Industry 5.0, the next era of manufacturing.
The three-year project will create three advanced automation and robotic welding certificate pathways, update seven existing courses of study and embed industry-recognized credentials. Students will learn to design, simulate and produce products using new technologies, including robotics and CAD software, while honing critical communication and problem-solving skills.
“This initiative ensures our graduates are future-proof technicians – skilled in automation, robotics and collaboration,” said Wake Tech President Scott Ralls.
By bridging disciplines and incorporating both STEM and soft skills, the program will produce “super techs” – technicians capable of diagnosing, repairing and optimizing complex systems in modern manufacturing environments.
Oregon
A fundraising campaign for Central Oregon Community College’s (COCC) Madras campus expansion culminated with a $100,000 grant from the Tykeson Family Foundation.
The investment in the “Growing Together” campaign supported two central elements of the project: the college’s healthcare training programs and the community childcare center.
“This COCC expansion grows opportunities in the care sectors to build community well-being,” said Amy Tykeson, managing trustee of the Tykeson Family Foundation. “Starting in January, more people in Jefferson County can gain critical skills and credentials close to home.”
In all, the new 24,000-square-foot facility houses three training programs: nursing, nursing assistant and medical assisting. Additionally, the expanded early childhood education program at the Madras campus integrates some of its training into the new on-site, 100-capacity childcare facility, being managed by the Children’s Learning Center of Madras.
