[StBernard] Nunez Community College Receives $2.7M Grant

[Westley Annis]

Nunez Community College Receives $2.7M Grant

               

Nunez Community College in Chalmette has received over $2.7M in Federal
grant funds to redesign their business administration programs, including an
emphasis on business management, restaurant/tourism management, and
entrepreneurship. 

 

          The funding is from a competitive grant competition opened to
community colleges and universities nationwide in an effort to enhance ties
between higher education institutions and local business and industry.  The
focus of the funding is to ensure that students trained within the
identified programs are able to compete for high-wage, high-skills careers.

 

           Nunez's grant will have three main foci, the first of which is to
work with area four-year institutions to complete 2 + 2 agreements in
business administration, tourism, and entrepreneurship.  Students will have
the assurance with the 2 + 2 program that if they follow the curriculum,
their entire program at Nunez will be accepted by the receiving university.

      

"This is something we've been working on for quite some time," said Thomas
R. Warner, chancellor of Nunez, "and this grant will afford us the
opportunity to fund the activity fully.  Any time you change a program or
shift focus, there are costs involved.  This will mean we can bring in
experts in the field to get this done in a way that both industry and
education sectors can be satisfied that the students completing this program
have the skills to fill these high-wage, high-demand positions."

            

The second focus of the grant will be to develop a Small Business
Development Center, with resources for the community to access funding
sources, create business plans, and take classes on marketing and
management.  

 

            Finally, the grant includes funding for a
restaurant/hotel/tourism lab, complete with a hotel simulation model, a
commercial demonstration kitchen and a functioning dining room.

            

"All of the programs involved will include opportunities for internships
within the greater New Orleans Region," said Christian Lagarde, Program
Chair for Business and Office Careers. 

Warner said that Lagarde is principally responsible for the direction of the
grant proposal.  

 

"He worked closely with our Office of Institutional Advancement personnel to
research and write this grant.  We're very proud of his effort, and that of
our staff.  This is a tremendous opportunity for Nunez to both work with and
serve our community," said Warner.