Cooper said when he took office in 2017, he wanted “to build a North Carolina where people were better educated, healthier, and had more money in their pockets to live lives of purpose and abundance,” according to a press release. During his tenure as governor, Cooper said he prioritized community colleges to help achieve these goals.

Cooper launched the Finish Line Grants program in 2018 to help community college students who face unforeseen financial emergencies complete their training. Over the past six years, according to the press release, more than 16,000 Finish Line Grants totaling $7.5 million were distributed to help thousands of community college students complete their training and prepare to enter the workforce.

Cooper spoke at Durham Technical Community College this week and was joined by Durham Tech Community College President J.B. Buxton.

“The Finish Line grant has benefited our students and community by ensuring students facing financial barriers to completing their education have a resource available so they can enter the workforce or continue to a four-year institution without interruption to their studies,” Buxton said. “This removes a tremendous amount of stress when life’s unexpected challenges arise.”

…

In addition to the Finish Line grants, Cooper cited:

The Longleaf Commitment program, a $25.5 million investment to guarantee that 2021 graduating high school seniors from low- and middle-income families received at least $2,800 in federal and state grants to cover tuition and most fees at any of the state’s 58 community colleges. In Nov. 2021, the program was expanded through the state budget to include 2022 high school graduates. To date, more than 27,400 students have received a grant, and 77% of the grants have gone to students with family incomes less than $60,000.

$20 million in federal funding to create Workforce Resilience Grants for eligible community college students pursuing high-demand workforce training programs within ten workforce pathways leading to a state or industry recognized credential, including in advanced manufacturing, automotive, IT, construction, and education. To date, more than 22,500 students across the state have received Workforce Resilience Grants.

Cooper’s support was also important in the bipartisan leadership for myFutureNC’s attainment goal to ensure that by 2030, 2 million North Carolinians have a high-quality credential or a postsecondary degree.

You can read the full article on EdNC’s website.

Across North Carolina, community partnerships with faith groups can play an important role in helping our public schools and students succeed. From school supply drives and afterschool programs to tutoring and affordable building space, churches and houses of worship can offer extra support and resources to their local families and school districts.

As EdNC has previously reported, education and religion both play a big role in people’s lives and decision-making. Across all 100 counties in our state, faith spaces and schools both act as institutional anchors in their communities.

Schools and colleges provide learning, jobs, and community. In 49 of the state’s 100 counties, an entity providing “educational services” is the top employer, EdNC previously reported, and in 46 of those counties, it is the public school system filling that role. Schools like Clinton High School provide food pantries for students; schools in western North Carolina provided mental health support for students and staff once schools could safely open after Hurricane Helene.

Places of worship also help support families and students — like one Elizabeth City church that housed a summer literacy camp, Morganton churches that worked together to support Latina youth, and faith spaces that support communities following hurricanes and other natural disasters — even by helping provide clean water.

“The alignment is just so strong,” Central Carolina Community College’s Meghan Brown — vice president of advancement, operations, and government relations — said of the college’s work with local faith leaders. “And we can imagine possibilities much bigger than we would have been able to without each other.”

If you are a local faith group or local school or district looking to build more partnerships in your community, this toolkit is for you. Read below for a guide to what you need to know about the First Amendment, along with other best practices for faith-based collaborations for public schools, their students, and their communities.

Read more about the faith group toolkit.

College campus updates | Surry Community College implemented student kiosks at its four learning centers. The kiosks are self-service digital stations that offer access to a variety of college services.

Meetings | The NCCCS’ I.E. Ready Award Committee will meet January 7 at 1:00 p.m. at the system Office.

Rural program funding | Nine rural companies recently received funding for customized training. The NCCCS will create and deliver customized workforce training programs for nine companies through its NCEdge program. The funding is part of the North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA)’s approval of $1.85 million to “support job growth and infrastructure development project in rural areas across the state,” according to a recent press release.

Transfer agreements | The College of the Albemarle and Elizabeth City State University recently signed an articulation agreement to provide a seamless transfer for students pursuing criminal justice programs.

Funding for environmental challenges | Guilford Technical Community College was recently awarded more than $5 million dollars to address environmental and climate justice challenges through a series of projects in the High Point area. The funding is part of the EPA grant to the Southwest Renewal Foundation in High Point. The college will use the grant funding to “renovate the Johnson Warehouse, turning the 13,200-square-foot building into state-of-the-art facilities for four programs: HVAC, construction, hotel/apartment maintenance, and a program to be determined. A focal point will be workforce training for green jobs in HVAC and construction,” according to a recent college press release.

Student success story | A Central Piedmont Community College student recently turned his dream into a reality. According to a local news article, through “a unique partnership between Coca-Cola Consolidated, Red Classic Transportation, and Central Piedmont Community College,” Timothy Duhart was able to earn a credential in diesel technology — transforming his career and fulfilling a long-held dream.

Helene updates | This article looks at Asheville’s restaurant industry losses and their commitment to resiliency as we head into 2025. AB-Tech’s awarding-winning culinary program is featured in the article.