For Immediate Release
May 1, 2014
Lower Columbia College has received an Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant for $845,000 from the U.S. Department of Commerce. The grant, announced this morning, is part of a $1.7 million project to provide equipment for the College's new Health and Science Building which will open in Fall 2014. The Lower Columbia College Foundation is the sole provider of the match.
The project strengthens job creation and retention in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and Healthcare and supports the region’s economic diversification goals. EDA support for the project will allow for all laboratories in the new building to be equipped appropriately, vastly increasing the relevancy of education and training provided as well as expanding student capacity (EDA support will increase individual lab capacity by as much as 102%).
"It is so critical that we help residents in the region gain the skills they need for competitive jobs," Senator Patty Murray said. "This funding will help put people to work in Longview, and it will lay down a strong foundation for long-term economic growth."
The 70,000 square foot, three-story brick facility located on Maple Street will house nursing and allied health, including a skills lab, medical assisting lab and a high tech patient simulation lab; Earth Science, Environmental & Ecological Science Labs and a community science center; chemistry, biology and physics labs, and a 140-seat lecture hall. The new building will be LEED Silver certified and feature a partial green roof, a rain garden irrigation system and solar panels.
"What a remarkable asset for our community," said LCC President Chris Bailey. "We now have a state-of-the-art facility which brings together under one roof our innovative and student-centered faculty in healthcare and science fields along with the latest technology and equipment to build a professional workforce to serve our community."
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