Coahoma Awarded Distance Learning Grant

COAHOMA AWARDED NEARLY $200K DISTANCE LEARNING GRANT

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Rural Development awarded grants totaling nearly $2 million to aid in distance learning initiatives throughout the State of Mississippi.

As part of the awards, Coahoma Community College (CCC) will receive a nearly $200,000 Rural Utilities Services (RUS) grant to install a distance learning system to connect the college to high schools in Coahoma, Tallahatchie, and Quitman counties.

In a press release from the offices of U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), the politicians welcomed the award of $1,980,417 to support distance learning programs across the entire state.

“These investments from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will help bring new learning technology to dozens of sites in Mississippi,” Wicker said. “With this support, thousands of students and job seekers will be able to access educational opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach.”

“Expanding the technological infrastructure to allow distance learning will create so many opportunities for rural Mississippians. Using universities, community colleges, schools, and USDA Extension Service offices allow greater outreach to the youth and adults alike,” said Hyde-Smith, who serves on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee. “I applaud USDA Rural Development and the grant recipients for working together to make progress on these projects.”

Currently, distance learning or e-learning allows CCC to continue meeting the goals of the institution by providing courses in a format that is flexible and convenient for learners. In addition, e-learning gives the college the ability to serve the community better by providing much-needed access.

Coahoma Community College President Dr. Valmadge T. Towner is thrilled with the receipt of the grant and sees this as an opportunity for CCC to expand its efforts beyond the institution’s gates.

“We are always looking for external funding to increase our capacity to offer educational services. I’m so happy that Ms. Letha Richards led the effort for the institution to seek out the funds with USDA,” said Towner. “We have to ensure that our off-campus students have the same resources as if they were on our main campus. This RUS grant will enable us to provide resources to those students who are in our dual enrollment courses via our high schools.”

ABOUT ELEARNING:

Through eLearning (formerly Distance Learning), the barriers of time and travel have been removed. eLearning allows CCC to continue meeting the goals of the institution by providing courses in a format that is flexible and convenient. Additionally, eLearning gives CCC the ability to better serve the community. Whether the student is a non-traditional or a traditional day student, eLearning courses provide a more flexible schedule and accessibility to higher education opportunities.