Wilson Community College

Amount Appropriated?

$3.0M

FFID tracks stages 1–2 — stages 3–5 vary by agency, assistance type, and earmark structure.

Project Description

This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because with the new building, Wilson Community College (Wilson CC) will be able to expand its healthcare education offerings, leading to an increase of lucrative employment opportunities for the under- and un-employed across all demographics. This project will also promote wellness in the city, the county, and the region at large.\n\nThe state-defined service area of Wilson CC is Wilson County, which suffers from several healthcare, employment, education, and other economic-related deficits. For example, in recent years Wilson County ranked in the bottom (worst) 20% of NC counties in both health factors and health outcomes, in the bottom 15% in unemployment rate, and in the bottom 10% in child poverty rate (University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute; NC Dept. of Commerce; NC Child). Further, these deficits disproportionately affect the county's communities of color, which comprise approximately half the county's 80,000 citizens. \n\nTo offer its community an affordable way to earn necessary skills and training for good-paying jobs Wilson CC must expand its offerings to include at least one imaging science and/or oral health science, and others in the future. An Allied Health building was recently approved as the lynchpin of Wilson CC\u2019s 2021-2031 Master Plan. This building, in sight of the \u201cTIGER Grant\u201d section of Wilson's revitalized US 301 corridor, will grow enrollment and Wilson CC\u2019s program capability. Wilson County already competes fiercely for employees, employers, and residents. Expanded healthcare-education opportunities such as those supported by this community funding request will help residents of the community to better compete for skilled and good-paying jobs.