Grants News
By CCTIMES, Published May 11, 2009

Delaware County Community College (DCCC) in Pennsylvania has received two grants: one from a local sheriff to fund scholarships and another from the federal government to preserve a collection of World War II posters donated to the college’s library.

Sheriff Joe McGinn, an alumnus and former faculty member at the college, recently gave a $5,000 check to the colleges for the Sheriff’s Scholarships program. The awards are open to military veterans in any program at the college and to students majoring in emergency management and planning.

DCCC also received $3,000 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, which is the primary source of federal support for libraries and museums. The college will use the grant to preserve 19 original World War II posters produced by various government and civilian agencies to encourage enlistment.

Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC) in Minnesota and Ultra Machining Co. received a $269,088 grant from the state of Minnesota to train workers at the company.

The broad goals of the grant include training in process validation, automated machining, risk analysis and computer software, among others. Ultra Machining will match the contribution with $328,449.

The grant will also allow ARCC to expand curriculum which, in turn, will provide additional potential training opportunities for the growing bio-medical industry and incumbent workers looking to advance their careers or seeking new ones.

Hudson County Community College (HCCC) in New Jersey recently received a $10,000 federal College Access Challenge Grant.

The college will use the funds, which come through the U.S. Department of Education, to expand its financial aid workshops to inform more students and families about potential financial aid opportunities and to offer personal assistance with Free Application for Federal Student Financial Aid forms.

Palm Beach Community College (PBCC) in Florida has received a $545,471 grant from the National Science Foundation to launch a scholarship and mentoring program to boost the number of underrepresented minority students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

As part of the Math & Science Institute: Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) Diversity Project, a cohort of 55 academically talented students with financial need will receive scholarships to cover the full cost of tuition, fees and books for their two-year associate degree at PBCC.

In addition, students in those programs who transfer to Florida Atlantic University (FAU) to pursue a bachelor’s degree in STEM disciplines will receive full scholarships for their junior year. FAU, as part of a partnership with PBCC, will offer scholarships for students’ senior year and provide some of the mentoring and support.

“Math and science are the toughest programs to retain students,” said Scott MacLachlan, interim provost and dean of student services at PBCC in Palm Beach Gardens. “Students indicate the number one reason for dropping out of school is financial. If we can help them financially, they can concentrate on academic success.’’

MassBay Community College (Massachusetts) received a one-year grant from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education through its Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Pipeline Fund. 

The grant will fund five new math curriculum modules that will fit into any course in a prescribed math sequence for pre-service elementary teachers at two-year colleges, four-year colleges or post-baccalaureate programs. The math modules will be developed by a regional team of faculty from MassBay Community College and Framingham State College, along with local elementary school teachers from the Natick and Framingham Public School Districts.

Johnston Community College (JCC) in North Carolina received a $30,000 Project Skill Up grant to help local workers affected by changes in the tobacco industry.

The state grant was awarded through the North Carolina Community College System from the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission and is the second JCC has received to help retrain tobacco workers.

The goal of the project is to provide short-term occupational skills training and educational financial assistance to local growers, farm laborers, tobacco manufacturing employees and others whose jobs have been affected because of changes in the industry.

Tallahassee Community College (TCC) in Florida received a $135,399 grant from Florida’s Great Northwest to develop an information technology (IT) training program, which will target the 47,000 public employees in the Tallahassee area.

TCC’s goal is to annually train 200 individuals in IT degree and certificate programs.

“Enhancing the region’s workforce capacity in information technology is directly tied to the advancement of Northwest Florida’s economy,” stated Al Wenstrand, president of Florida’s Great Northwest.

The organization provides regional leadership in economic and workforce development.

It is an administrator and facilitating organization for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) Grant program.