RALEIGH, N.C. - Dr. Stephen Scott, president of Wake Technical Community College, reports that the College has received more than $2.5 million in grant funding since May of last year. Grant funds often provide the means for educational and other non-profit organizations to strengthen and expand programs beyond the scope of their regular operating budgets.
“Grants are definitely icing on the cake for a community college,” Scott says. “They allow for creative, innovative learning experiences that have a profound effect on teachers, students, and the community.”
Wake Tech encourages collaboration in pursuing innovation and quality enhancement collegewide. The Sponsored Programs and Grants Office leverages resources from private, state, and federal funding sources to support Wake Tech’s wide variety of new and ongoing projects and initiatives.
Among the grants awarded was $105,104 from the North Carolina Community College System’s BioNetwork to Wake Tech’s Applied Industrial Biotechnology division. The grant will allow Wake Tech to develop a certificate program in Applied Biotechnology to better meet the needs of employers in the Triangle area, and to improve job placement opportunities for graduates in biotechnology fields. The grant will also enable K-12 teachers to gain knowledge of biotechnology through summer coursework.
The following grants have also been awarded to Wake Tech:
From the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS)
- Facilities and equipment grant of $900,000 that will allow Wake Tech to start on a new 100,000 square foot Health Science Building six months earlier than anticipated - without having to wait for the release of school bond funds in July 2008. The new timeline will save the college significant construction costs; the building will expand efforts to meet the growing demand for nurses and allied health professionals.
- Minority Male Mentoring program grant of $20,000 that will leverage institutional matching funds to improve enrollment, retention, and graduation rates among minority male students.
- Professional development grants of 1) $22,353 to teach distance learning faculty to create digital video for online courses; and 2) $600,000 over three years to create a “Virtual Learning Center” with statewide partners.
- Small Business International Success Program grant of $5,000 to assist small business owners in NC in developing export markets and exploring technology transfer opportunities
- A second BioNetwork grant of $250,000 to design, develop, implement, and disseminate Virtual Environments for training students and workers in NC’s biomanufacturing industry
- Nursing education grant of $2,000 to support disadvantaged nursing students (students with disabilities and/or those at risk financially or academically) with counseling and other assistance.
From the John Rex Endowment
- Community Care of Wake and Johnston Counties partnership grant of $163,320 over three years. Wake Tech will provide the workforce development component of the project, recruiting and supporting bilingual students in medical and nursing assistant programs, assisting them with job placement upon graduation, and providing ESL classes for students and families.
From the US Department of Labor
- “Youth Build” partnership grant with Capital Area Workforce Development of $430,503 over three years to provide GED preparation and training in Construction Basics skills for college credits.
From the Bank of America Foundation
- Scholarship grants totaling $2,500, awarded to the Wake Tech Foundation to allow GED and Adult High School graduates to pursue diploma, certificate, and degree programs to increase career options and earning potential.
From the NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund Commission
- A grant of $75,000 over three years to make all Wake Tech campuses tobacco-free and to improve the health and safety of students, staff, and visitors through a program of education, prevention, cessation support, and policy reform.
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