Campus security upgrades and improvements to healthcare and manufacturing programs at Washington State Community College are planned after the college was awarded two grants from the State of Ohio.
Washington State Community College (WSCC) is the recipient of grants from two different state programs. A $316,719 grant was awarded through the 2021 Campus Safety Grant Program, with WSCC receiving the largest grant in the state among community colleges. Another $286,896 was awarded to the college through the Regionally Aligned Priorities in Delivering Skills (RAPIDS) program, an initiative of the Ohio Department of Education to increase the number of skilled workers in the state.
The Campus Safety Grant will be used to increase security in multiple ways, including upgrading entrance doors, improvements to cybersecurity, and enhancing surveillance systems. In a news release from WSCC, President Vicky Wood explained, "The safety of our employees and students is our number one priority at Washington State. Thanks to this funding, we will now be able to implement the highest level of preventative safety measures to enhance both the physical and cyber security of our campus. We value the support of Governor DeWine and Chancellor Gardner and are proud to provide a safe and welcoming campus environment that supports the needs of students in our Appalachian region."
The RAPIDS funding received by WSCC will be used for improvements in both healthcare and manufacturing programs. New CNC equipment will be purchased to provide students with skills needed to enter advanced manufacturing careers in working with a variety of materials. Funds will also be used to develop the Industry 4.0 Factory Automation Regional Certification in collaboration with other area colleges. As Dean of Technology and Transfer George Bilokonsky said in another news release, "With this new equipment, we will be able to upskill incumbent workers. They will earn valuable, nationally recognized credentials from the National Institute of Metalworking Skills (NIMS) as well as FANUC."
The nursing programs at WSCC will be expanded with the RAPIDS grant with renovations to make room for more students to enroll. The changes will include larger labs and new microscopes. Wood said, "These funds make it possible to provide quality academic programs with state-of-the-art labs to meet the demands of our local workforce. They allow us to be ahead of technology and innovation in this region so we can support our industry partners' efforts to incorporate automation and integration."