The $25,000 grant comes from the Tennessee Board of Regents and is awarded to college partnerships that seek to collaboratively address the issues facing education institutions, including changes in enrollment.
Cleveland State Community College and Tennessee College of Applied Technology Athens have been jointly awarded a TN Accelerate grant from the Tennessee Board of Regents. The $25,000 grant will be utilized by the colleges to enhance and expand their existing partnership and collaborative initiatives in order to further strengthen the region’s education and workforce development.
According to an article on Cleveland State Community College’s website, Susan Hatto, who serves as the president of TCAT Athens, was quoted as saying, “TCAT Athens is proud to partner with Cleveland State Community College to create meaningful pathways that support both our students and the broader community. The grant funding enhances our collaboration by providing critical resources that will expand educational opportunities and strengthen workforce development.”
The TN Accelerate grant is an initiative of the Tennessee Board of Regents aimed at innovating the landscape of community college education throughout the state. It seeks to emphasize the importance of collaboration between institutions in order to bolster the state’s workforce, economy, and education access. The collaboration between Cleveland State Community College and TCAT Athens was one of only three partnerships to receive the TN Accelerate grant this year.
Among the existing aspects of Cleveland State Community College’s and TCAT Athens’ partnership are the LPN to RN bridge program, various articulation agreements, and apprenticeships. With the funding from the TN Accelerate grant, the colleges plan to enhance their existing relationship with a review of curriculum pathways.
Dr. Andy White, the president of Cleveland State Community College, said, “To effectively support the education and workforce development needs of a large, rural service area, we have to forge strong partnerships and be highly innovative. This grant incentives us to do just that. Students, area employers, and our colleges will all benefit.”
For more information about Cleveland State Community College, visit the school’s website.
For more information about Tennessee College of Applied Technology Athens, visit the school’s website.