Northwest Arkansas Community College

TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND CAREER TRAINING

CARES ACT FUNDING

CARES ACT FUNDING

EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERSERVED LEARNERS

STRENGTHENING INSTITUTIONS

UPWARD BOUND

JOBS ACCELERATOR

UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** IN AN EFFORT TO DECENTRALIZE OUR MEAT PROCESSING INDUSTRY AND CREATE A FOOD SYSTEM THAT IS MORE ADAPTABLE TO CHANGES AND SHOCKS, THE BRIGHTWATER MEAT INSTITUTE WILL FOSTER LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT BY TRAINING STUDENTS IN WHOLE ANIMAL BUTCHERY AND UTILIZATION. WHILE THERE IS GREAT SKILL IN BUTCHERING PRIMAL CUTS AND THEN FABRICATING RETAIL CUTS, THERE IS BOTH PROFIT AND ART IN THE FURTHER PROCESSING OF THE PROTEIN THROUGH THE COOKING, CURING, SMOKING, AND AGING THE WHOLE MUSCLES AND MAKING FORCEMEATS FROM THE TRIM. DURING THE ONE SEMESTER (18 CREDIT HOUR) PROGRAM, STUDENTS WILL SPEND THE FIRST 8 WEEKS LEARNING ABOUT FOOD SAFETY, BUTCHERY, AND CHARCUTERIE. BUILDING UPON THIS BASE OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS, A COHORT OF 16 STUDENTS WILL TAKE A BLOCK OF THREE CLASSES THAT WILL DEVELOP STUDENTS' SKILLS IN RETAIL MEAT CUTTING, VALUE ADDED PRODUCT MANUFACTURING, AND RETAIL MEAT CASE OPERATIONS AND FINANCES THROUGH THE STAFFING AND MANAGING OF A RETAIL DIRECT TO CONSUMER BUTCHER COUNTER.BY EMBEDDING THE BRIGHTWATER MEAT INSTITUTE WITHIN AN EXISTING CULINARY PROGRAM, STUDENTS ACQUIRE THE TRADITIONAL SKILLS OF A BUTCHER BUT THEY ALSO LEARN ADDITIONAL WAYS TO DIVERSIFY THEIR INCOME STREAM THROUGH THE PRODUCTION OF VALUE-ADDED READY-TO-EAT PRODUCTS. STUDENTS WILL GAIN THE EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE TO RUN OPERATIONS RANGING FROM A FEE-FOR-SERVICE CUSTOM PROCESSING HOUSE TO A RETAIL BUTCHER SHOP TO A DELI FEATURING ITS OWN PRODUCTS OR ANY COMBINATION THEREOF.

APPLIED DESIGN THINKING FOR PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT TECHNICIANS -THIS PROJECT AIMS TO SERVE THE NATIONAL INTEREST BY EXPANDING DESIGN THINKING STRATEGIES DEVELOPED UNDER AN EXISTING TECHNICAL CERTIFICATE IN INTEGRATED DESIGN, TO MEET LOCAL AND NATIONAL INDUSTRY NEEDS FOR SKILLED WORKERS WITH ANALYTICAL AND CREATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING ABILITIES AND WITH SPECIALIZED TRAINING IN PRODUCT DESIGN AND FABRICATION. THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO STRIVE TO ENLARGE THE POOL OF STUDENTS SEEKING SUCH CAREERS BY PROVIDING INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES AND SUPPORT FOR LATINX STUDENTS, ?PLACED AT RISK? TEENS, AND RURAL STUDENTS TRADITIONALLY UNDERREPRESENTED IN DESIGN-RELATED AND STEM TECHNICAL FIELDS. IMPACTS WILL BE ACHIEVED THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF RELEVANT, INDUSTRY-ADVISED, AND PROJECT-BASED COURSEWORK, AND THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH INDUSTRY ADVISORS AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE WELL-SUPPORTED, ACHIEVABLE PATHWAYS FOR STUDENTS FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO COLLEGE AND FROM COLLEGE TO THE WORKFORCE. THIS PROJECT WILL ENHANCE STRATEGIES TO MEET LOCAL WORKFORCE NEEDS BY LEVERAGING CURRICULUM AND RESOURCES DEVELOPED AS PART OF A PREVIOUS NSF ATE GRANT AND FOCUSES ON THREE GOALS. FIRST IS TO ENHANCE AND EXPAND EXISTING INTEGRATED DESIGN CURRICULA TO ADDITIONAL DISCIPLINES AT NORTHWEST ARKANSAS COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND OTHER K-12 PARTNERS WITH INDUSTRY-ALIGNED COURSE COMPONENTS. SECOND IS TO ENHANCE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN ADVANCED DESIGN THINKING CONCEPTS, APPLIED PRODUCT DESIGN, AND SUSTAINABILITY. THIRD, AND FINALLY, IS TO PARTNER WITH ON-CAMPUS GROUPS AND LOCAL AGENCIES TO CREATE PATHWAYS TO ENROLL, RETAIN, AND GRADUATE UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS IN THE REGION FOR AN EMERGING TECHNICIAN ROLE IN PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT. THROUGH MEETING THESE GOALS, THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE AN ACCESSIBLE ENTRY POINT FOR STUDENTS TO PURSUE MULTIPLE DEGREE TRACKS AND CAREER PATHS THROUGH DESIGN THINKING, INTEGRATED DESIGN, AND INDUSTRY-ADVISED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES. THIS PROJECT LEVERAGES AN EXISTING TECHNICAL CERTIFICATE IN INTEGRATED DESIGN (TC-ID) ACROSS CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY, COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN, AND FINE ARTS PROGRAMS. THE CURRENT TC-ID STACKS INTO THREE DEGREE TRACKS: AN ASSOCIATE OF FINE ARTS (AFA), AN ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE (AAS) IN CONSTRUCTION, OR AN AAS IN COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN. THIS PROJECT WILL EXPAND THE TC-ID TO ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY AND GRAPHIC DESIGN WITH RESPECTIVE AAS DEGREE TRACKS. THE EXPANSION OF THE TECHNICAL CERTIFICATE, AND THE CREATION OF A NEW CERTIFICATE OF PROFICIENCY IN INTEGRATED DESIGN AIMED FOR CONCURRENTLY ENROLLED HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO BE EXPOSED TO MULTIPLE DEGREE TRACKS WHILE GAINING INTERDISCIPLINARY SKILLS AND INDUSTRY-READY CREDENTIALS. THIS PROJECT IS FUNDED BY THE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT FOCUSES ON THE EDUCATION OF TECHNICIANS FOR THE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY FIELDS THAT DRIVE THE NATION'S ECONOMY. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

INTEGRATING INTERDISCIPLINARY DESIGN THINKING: DEVELOPING HIGH DEMAND WORKFORCE SKILLS AT THE INTERSECTION OF ART AND INDUSTRY

A PROPOSAL TO EXPAND THE NATIONAL CHILD PROTECTION TRAINING CENTER BY DEVELOPING A SOUTHERN REGIONAL TRAINING CENTER

SERVICE FOCUSED SPECIAL CONGRESSIONAL INITIATIVE

CARES ACT FUNDING UNDER SECTION 18004(A)(2)

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: EPIIC: CONNECT FOUR, BUILDING REGIONAL INNOVATION PARTNERSHIPS TO ENHANCE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT -MOST AVAILABLE ESTIMATES PREDICT A STEM WORKER SHORTFALL IN THE US RANGING BETWEEN A FEW HUNDRED THOUSAND AND SEVERAL MILLION WORKERS. THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTE HAS APTLY DESCRIBED THIS REALITY AS ?ONE OF THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEMS? FACED BY THE US WHICH REQUIRES GREATER INVESTMENT TO ?BOOST OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND STEM EDUCATION TRAINING IN ORDER TO STAY COMPETITIVE?. THE ?CONNECT FOUR? PROJECT WILL ADDRESS THIS CHALLENGE THROUGH DIRECT ENGAGEMENT WITH REGIONAL INNOVATION ECOSYSTEMS. THE TEAM BRINGS TOGETHER ALBION COLLEGE, CANISIUS UNIVERSITY, NORTHWEST ARKANSAS COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AND ROANOKE COLLEGE, EACH WELL POSITIONED TO ADVANCE INNOVATION IN RELEVANT REGIONAL ECOSYSTEMS. THE TEAM SEEKS TO ADVANCE FOUR AIMS: 1. SCALE UP CAPACITY TO DEVELOP AND SUSTAIN EXTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS, 2. EXPAND OUR CONNECTIONS TO A WIDER NETWORK OF EXTERNAL PARTNERS, 3. DEVELOP IMPROVED MEANS OF COMMUNICATION WITH CRITICAL STAKEHOLDER GROUPS, AND 4. CONVERSION OF ONE-OFF INTERACTIONS INTO MODELS OF SUSTAINABLE AND REPEATABLE PARTNERSHIPS AT SCALE. THE TEAM AIMS TO BUILD REGIONAL INNOVATION PARTNERSHIPS TO ENHANCE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. EACH INSTITUTION WILL ESTABLISH ADMINISTRATIVE CAPACITY, SCALE FACULTY INVOLVEMENT IN EXTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS (I.E., INDUSTRY, REGIONAL INNOVATION CENTERS, NON-PROFITS, GOVERNMENT, AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS), AND CREATE RESOURCES FOR SUSTAINABLE PARTNERSHIPS. METHODS INCLUDE IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS, EXPANDING EXISTING COLLEGE-EXTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS, LEVERAGING CLIENT ENGAGEMENTS, AND CREATING A TOOLKIT TO DOCUMENT AND STREAMLINE EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT. THE PROJECT WILL ADDRESS BARRIERS SUCH AS LIMITED FACULTY EXPERIENCE, HIGH TEACHING LOADS, AND LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH REGIONAL WORKFORCE NEEDS THROUGH EPIIC FACULTY FELLOW PROGRAMS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND STRUCTURED OUTREACH. THIS INITIATIVE WILL FOSTER ROBUST ECOSYSTEMS OF EXTERNAL PARTNER-ACADEMIC COLLABORATION, SUPPORT INSTITUTIONAL TRANSFORMATION ACROSS DIVERSE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS, AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE LONG-TERM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF EACH INSTITUTION. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

SUPPORTING UNMET CHILD CARE EQUALS STUDENT SUCCESS (SUCCESS) PROGRAM

SUPPORTING UNMET CHILD CARE EQUALS SUCCESS (SUCCESS) PROGRAM

SEE NOTICE OF AWARD, ATTACHMENT 1 - TERMS AND CONDITIONS, ATTACHMENT D, STATEMENT OF WORK, ABSTRACT.

NWACC OVW CAMPUS GRANT

COMMUNITY BASED JOB TRAINING