A $26,250 vote of confidence came to Paris Junior College (PJC) recently from an important member of the national watchmaking profession. The Horological Society of New York (HSNY), one of the oldest continuously operating horological associations in the world, gave a $6,250 grant to the PJC watchmaking program and $20,000 in scholarships to four watchmaking students, including Brian Furi.
Furi wrote an essay that won him an all-expense-paid trip from Texas to HSNY’s annual gala in New York City’s Plaza Hotel in June. The event left a big impression.
“It was inspiring,” Furi said. “It wasn’t just watchmakers, it was everyone involved with HSNY: watch collectors, big brands, celebrities, sales people. The mix of people was vast and it was cool to be in that atmosphere.”
After a 20-year career in another industry ended due to injury, Furi was casting around for what to do next. He reconnected with his father, who works in the watch industry and suggested he attend watchmaking school. Furi chose PJC and moved his wife, daughter and mother to Reno. The scholarship is welcome assistance to the one-income family.
The $6,250 HSNY Howard Robbins Award funds to PJC will help expand the watchmaking program, said Garrin Fraze, PJC’s horology program coordinator.
“We have a second instructor now and this fall we’ll be taking a total of 12 students, the largest incoming class we’ve had in quite some time,” Fraze said. “Support for American watchmaking education continues to be strong, and the HSNY gift means that we’re doing something right. So we’re going to maintain our momentum to make the program better and better.”
California
Yuba College and the Yuba County Office of Education (YCOE) have received a three-year, $937,500 grant through California’s juvenile justice grant program.
Nearly a year ago, YCOE and Yuba College launched a partnership under a College and Career Access Pathways agreement (CCAP) program, which brought in-person college courses directly into the Youth Development Center. Through this effort, more than 20 students were able to earn college credit while still completing high school.
The funding will enhance supports that help young people make the “critical transition from facility-based education to on-campus college life,” said Yuba County Superintendent of Schools, Rob Gregor.
Gregor said the goal is “to ensure a warm hand-off, personally connecting students with Yuba College staff and campus resources to build relationships, foster confidence and ease their reentry into the college environment.”
Maryland
A $292,600 state grant will help Frederick Community College (FCC) support Maryland’s thriving biotechnology industry. The grant is complemented by an FCC match of $585,200,
totaling $877,800 dedicated to the college’s Building for Biotech project.
The funds will create state-of-the-art biotechnology training facilities, which will expand FCC’s biotechnology lab space by 40%, enhance storage facilities, create a simulated clean room and convert an existing classroom into a specialized cell culture laboratory.
Construction for the expanded biotechnology facilities is projected to conclude by next summer.
Massachusetts
Representatives from Hyundai Motor America visited Holyoke Community College (HCC) recently to deliver a $5,000 check to benefit the college’s food pantry. This is the fifth consecutive year Hyundai Motor America has donated to the HCC food pantry, part of the college’s Thrive Center, bringing the total value of their donations up to $37,000.
The gifts from Hyundai are in addition to regular donations made to Thrive by auto dealer Gary Rome, owner of Gary Rome Hyundai in Holyoke. Rome is a member of the HCC Foundation board of directors, and his efforts on behalf of HCC initially brought the Thrive Center and Food Pantry to the attention of the Hyundai corporate offices in California.
“Without the support that we get from Gary Rome and Hyundai, and our partnerships with Stop and Shop and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, we could not give out the amount of food that we do,” said Elizabeth Eastman, food pantry manager.
Minnesota
Three two-year colleges in Minnesota have received state grants to provide postsecondary education opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The Minnesota Office of Higher Education awarded Inclusive Higher Education grants to Central Lakes College, Lake Superior College and Normandale Community College.
Normandale will use its $200,000 grant to develop its higher education pathway program. It expects to welcome its first cohort of students with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) to campus in fall 2026.
Lake Superior’s grant of nearly $186,000 will support the development of its new Program for Accessible College Education (PACE), which will provide students with IDD the chance to continue their education, develop independence and gain employable skills needed by regional employers.
The college anticipates welcoming its first pilot students in January and a small cohort of students in fall 2026.
And at Central Lakes, grant funding will go toward developing a planned Student Runway for Academic Success Program.
North Carolina
Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) has received a $474,038 grant from the National Science Foundation’s Advanced Technological Education program. Funding will help the college expand its artificial intelligence (AI) degree program and accelerate the development of local technology talent.
The three-year initiative, known as Generating Artificial Intelligence Talent (GAIT), will enhance curriculum, train faculty, deepen industry partnerships and provide tailored student support to prepare graduates for Charlotte’s job market.
CPCC launched its associate in applied science degree in AI in 2024; there are more than 100 students currently enrolled.
The new GAIT project will expand the program’s capacity in four key areas: curriculum development, faculty readiness, employer engagement and student advising. The college also will introduce industry-driven credentials that enable students to acquire skills and enter the workforce more quickly.
