October 16, 2024

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has awarded East Mississippi Community College a grant of $877,000 to expand Division of Nursing and Health Sciences programs on the college’s Scooba campus.

Plans are in the works to renovate Hawkins Hall, where the Practical Nursing program is located, and convert it into dedicated space for Nursing and Health Sciences programs. Plans call for expansion of the Practical Nursing program and the possible addition of an Associate Degree Nursing program, which is currently only offered at EMCC’s Golden Triangle campus.

Among other things, the grant funds will be used to purchase equipment for the programs and to hire additional nursing instructors.

“We are definitely excited about the educational opportunities the programs will provide to residents,” Director of Nursing Programs and Associate Dean of Health Sciences Jamonicia Johnson said. “Our industry partners in that area have expressed a need for additional employees in health-related fields and the renovation of Hawkins Hall will provide us room to grow to accommodate current and future needs.”

Other programs currently located in Hawkins Hall, such as Welding Technology, will move to a new career technical building to be built on the Scooba campus. Hopes are construction of the career technical building will be completed sometime in 2025.

The grant award is part of a $68.2 million ARC package to help fund 65 economic revitalization projects in 10 states: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

EMCC was the only project in Mississippi to receive funding through the ARC’s Partnership for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) initiative. POWER directs federal resources to economic diversification and revitalization projects in Appalachian communities affected by the downturn of the coal industry.

“ARC’s POWER initiative supports coal-impacted communities' preparation for the next phase of Appalachia’s economy, while ensuring that residents have a say in the course of their own futures,” ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin states in a press release. “The investments announced in this round of POWER will help train workers, advance new industries, and build upon the progress already being made toward a brighter future full of economic opportunity for our region.”

The grant award follows on the heels of expansion of Division of Nursing and Health Sciences programs on EMCC’s Golden Triangle campus. In March of 2023, the number of Associate Degree Nursing students doubled with the addition of a second cohort.

Space in the Douglas Building was also renovated to accommodate additional students. Plans are in the work to begin work soon on renovating the former Center for Manufacturing Technology Excellence building to accommodate additional health-related programs.

“There is a demand both locally, regionally and nationwide for additional employees in the health care sectors,” EMCC Vice President of Instruction Dr. James Rush said. “We want to ensure we are positioned to meet that demand while providing educational opportunities to our students in those high-demand areas.”