Coahoma Community College was recently notified that the institution will be the grant recipient of approximately $672,000 under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) through AccelerateMS. State Fiscal Recovery Funds were appropriated to Accelerate MS through Senate Bill 3113 of the 2023 Legislative Session.
The purpose of the funding is to increase the capacity of nursing and allied health training programs by providing education and training to Mississippians seeking employment in healthcare industries disrupted by COVID-19.
Gwendolyn Johnson, Title III Director in Federal Programs, and Dr. Chequita Dixon, Dean of Health Sciences, worked diligently together to complete the grant and was notified in September as one of the successful grantees.
The directors coined the grant, Healthcare to Ignite Reinvestment in Employment (HIRE) because ultimately the goal is to produce more qualified healthcare professionals in the workforce.
Mrs. Johnson and Dr. Dixon were ecstatic about the federal award and will continue to collaborate to fulfill the requirements of the grant. Provisions of the grant allow for the acquisition of new equipment, remote learning, technological upgrades, training materials, and other services aimed at nursing and allied health students. Some of the funding will be utilized to acquire new equipment for the Health Science Division.
Dr. Towner was informed of the new award, congratulated the team for their efforts, and supports the students holistically at the institution.