MANSFIELD, Ohio – North Central State College has received a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for nearly $250,000 to collaborate and connect with the Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center and one elementary, one middle, and two high schools.
The grant is intended to promote distance learning opportunities for rural residents.
The grant awarded is one of 75 projects across 31 states and the Western Pacific to expand distance learning and telemedicine opportunities in rural areas. NC State’s award is the only grant awarded in the state of Ohio.
The total amount awarded was $23.4 Million for all 75 Projects.
“Rural communities often lack access to specialized medical care or advanced educational opportunities necessary for stronger rural economies,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “These grants will help increase access to health care and many other essential services.”
The grants are being provided through USDA Rural Development’s Distance Learning and Telemedicine program. They may be used to purchase equipment to provide educational and telemedicine services to rural communities.
Dorey Diab, President of NC State looks forward to providing educational opportunities to students in rural areas.
“We’ve done a lot here in north central Ohio to reach out, reach down, and look forward to meeting the educational needs of our students,” Diab said. “This grant will help us find new ways to reach into more remote locations and provide quality education to students and families who struggle logistically to get to one of our facilities to enroll.
“If education is the great equalizer, then this grant will help us provide equal access to every student.”
Planning of the grant project is already underway. Implementation will begin in 2016.
Diab on Capital Funding Commission
In other news from NCSC, Diab was named to the Higher Education Capital Funding Campaign Commission by Ohio gov. Jon Kasich and Chancellor John Carey. The commission will be asked to collaborate on a statewide list of priorities for construction projects to be included in the upcoming capital budget.
The governor appointed Dr. Roy Church of Lorain County Community College and Dr. David Hodge from Miami University to serve as co-chair of this year’s commission. Other commission members appointed by the governor to represent Ohio’s community colleges include Presidents Chad Brown (Zane State College), Dorey Diab (North Central State College) and Steve Johnson (Sinclair Community College); while the other university commission members are Presidents Ron Berkman (Cleveland State University), Rod McDavis (Ohio University) and Santa Ono (University of Cincinnati).
“The needs of our educational institutions continue to increase while resources continue to decline,” Diab said. “Our job is to work with each institution to prioritize their needs and work to fund those needs equitably.
“It is certainly a daunting task, but one we can accomplish if we come together with a mindset of doing the best we can in serving the needs of students throughout Ohio.”
The commission will hold its first meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 8, where they are expected to approve the guiding principles, determine a tentative timeframe and select the commission staff.
