Dear CSN Family,
As we face the prospect of significant budget reductions in the upcoming biennium, I want to inform you that CSN has secured over $11 million in active grants to help offset possible cuts. These grants will cover expenses in areas ranging from helping disadvantaged students prosper academically to providing state-of-the-art equipment to future surgical technologists and environmental specialists.
Here are details on just a few of the active grants at CSN:
- A U.S Department of Education grant in the amount of $1,423,790 helps us provide disadvantaged students – including low income and minority students – with opportunities for educational success by helping us provide advisement on issues such as academics, careers, transferring, and finances, as well as tutoring, help with reading and writing, mentoring and much more.
- Another U.S. Department of Education grant, combined with a State Department of Education Grant, awards CSN’s Division of Workforce & Economic Development $3,401,409. This funding will provide high-level English Language Acquisition and High School Equivalency instruction for students. This will include designing and implementing an original information technology/computer career exploration class modeled after our successful industrial- and health-career pathway classes. We expect this to help students obtain industry-recognized certificates, allowing them to easily enter the workforce.
- A grant of $92,000 from the American Association of Community Colleges will allow the CSN Apprenticeship Program to effectively expand registered apprenticeship opportunities by offering relevant career and technical education in support of initiatives serving the region’s unique labor market needs and target industries.
- A Perkins Formula Grant totaling $2,018,620 supports many of our career and technical instruction programs. One is our Surgical Technology Program, a critical component of the rapidly evolving healthcare industry. This grant supports having a licensed general surgeon provide students with “live” surgery simulations on high-tech anatomical models of humans. The simulations are broadcast through video conferencing and recorded to utilize for future instruction.
- A Workforce Challenge Grant of $230,070 from the State of Nevada Office of Science Technology & Innovation will allow us to buy high-tech microscopes and field supplies for students in the new Environmental Management degree program. The program is work-force connected and graduates are sought out for employment as technical specialists for environmental and engineering firms, mining, and exploration companies.
In addition, we have $20 million more in grant applications submitted and awaiting review and decisions. Kudos to the team in the Office of Sponsored Projects and the CSN familyfor their hard work in pursuing external funds to ensure that our students succeed and prosper. Together, we remain Vegas Strong and CSN Proud.
Stay safe and God bless.
Federico Zaragoza
President
College of Southern Nevada