JCC Awarded A Portion of $5 Million Department of Labor Grant

Jefferson Community College (JCC) is one of 12 State University of New York (SUNY) community colleges to be awarded a $5 million Strengthening Community Colleges Training grant from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to increase the number of marginalized and underrepresented students entering and completing health science programs. The award supports JCC’s economic recovery “Education to Employment” initiative to expand direct health programs to meet student and employer demand. JCC’s portion of the award totals $300,000 spread over four years. 

New York State’s healthcare system and social assistance industry is still working to recover from the global COVID-19 pandemic that produced a public health crisis and disruption to regional and state economies. Funding from the Strengthening Community Colleges Training grant will provide academic support and assistance for anatomy and physiology-based course redesign work at JCC, a mobile augmented reality (AR) laptop cart and development of additional health science curriculum and programming. 

“Funding awards will connect people – particularly those from marginalized and underrepresented communities – with the education and training they need for good-paying jobs,” said Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “These grants are designed to empower community colleges to ensure their curriculum meets the needs of employers in their communities and equips workers with valuable skills.” 

“As Jefferson continues to help the North Country build back post-COVID and meet the evolving needs of the community, we are honored to be among the SUNY community colleges selected for this award,” says Dr. Scott D. Schaeffer, Associate Vice President for STEM and Health Professions at JCC. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, college graduates earn nearly twice as much as those with only a high school diploma, which underscores the economic disparity faced by those without access to quality career and technical education programs and other forms of education. 

“As a consortium of twelve SUNY community colleges, the impact of this award will be far-reaching in our ability to create pathways to careers that pay a living wage for underserved individuals, ultimately strengthening the healthcare workforce across the entire state,” says Dr. Daniel J. Dupee, II, Administrator-In-Charge. 

Currently, Jefferson offers health and science academic programs in the areas of allied health and biological sciences, natural sciences, physical science, nursing (ranked #3 program in New York State by Nursing Schools Almanac) and healthcare management. The College accepts applications on a rolling basis and there is no admissions application fee.