Rockland Community College Awarded $3M Grant

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY – Rockland Community College (RCC) has been awarded a $3-million Title V Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program grant from the U.S. Department of Education to support the development and implementation of RCC’s five Academic Schools model and increase participation and improve retention. This grant is the largest received in the college’s 60-year history.

“As a recipient of this significant grant, Rockland Community College will be able to continue on the transformative path of reimagining programs, support services and instructional approaches based on ‘Guided Pathways’ which is reflected in our new model of 5 Academic Schools. With this funding, we will be able to ensure that every student who enters RCC will develop an academic and career plan that will allow them to be successful in their studies, become ‘real-world ready’, graduate and go on to pursue a career of their choice. I want to thank everyone who was a part of the writing team that helped us secure this grant, in particular Congresswoman Nita Lowey for her support. This labor of love has brought us to this point, and we will prove that the ‘Can Do College’ can do it!” states Dr. Michael Baston, president of Rockland Community College.

The five Schools at RCC will ensure that students have a structured academic path with critical embedded support services which will enable them to further their career and academic goals. RCC graduates will be real-world ready: able to think critically, communicate effectively and use their social capital and consciousness to contribute to the betterment of the community.

RCC is one of only 40 institutions across the county to receive this U.S. Department of Education grant. These grants assist schools in which a minimum of 25 percent of the total enrollment is Hispanic. A celebration in honor of this milestone took place at the college on October 8, 2019. More information about the college can be found here: www.sunyrockland.edu.

Featured

  • University of Kentucky Receives $150M Gift Toward New Arts District

    The University of Kentucky’s Board of Trustees recently received a $150-million gift from The Bill Gatton Foundation, according to a university news release, to build a new arts district on the campus in Lexington, Ky. The new district will feature a new College of Fine Arts building and a multi-hundred-seat theater, among other amenities.

  • Wisconsin District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The School District of La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff of two existing schools, according to local news. Funding for the school comes from a $53-million referendum approved in 2024.

  • LSU Breaks Ground on $200M Residential Project

    Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La., recently broke ground on a new residential complex, according to university news. The South Quad residential project will consist of two buildings and add a total of 1,266 beds for freshmen students. The development comes with a price tag of $200 million, and it’s scheduled to open to students in fall 2027.

  • How a Portable Sink Helped an Art Classroom Run More Smoothly

    Classroom design decisions can have outsized effects on instructional time and safety at schools juggling mismatched infrastructure, strict budgets, and crowded schedules — particularly in the arts. Between spilled paint and dirty brushes, art classes run smoother with a sink in the studio. But many schools don’t have a sink in every art classroom.