Southeast Community College Receives Distance Learning Grant from USDA

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the awarding of numerous grants throughout the nation to improve access to job training in rural communities, including close to half a million dollars awarded to Southeast Community College (SCC; www.southeast.edu) for distance learning.

The $495,631 Distance Learning grant will benefit SCC’s Beatrice and Lincoln campuses, as well as the six learning centers in Plattsmouth, Wahoo, Nebraska City, Hebron, York, and Falls City. The grant will enable students from throughout the 15-county service area to take part in health science courses at SCC. Students will take courses at the learning centers and Beatrice campus through distance learning technology. The Lincoln Campus will serve as a hub.

“This grant will provide collaboration throughout southeast Nebraska and will open doors to health care education for individuals so they can meet the workforce demand while staying in their rural communities,” said Jill Sand, dean of health sciences at SCC.

Sand said the grant will provide advanced learning tools, including simulation mannequins (SimMen) and Anatomage Tables, which provide a 3D image of the human body, eliminating the need for cadavers. They will be part of the creation of a multi-campus simulation laboratory (sim lab) spanning the learning centers and Beatrice and Lincoln campuses.

Southeast Community College plays a vital role for our communities in southeast Nebraska by bridging the higher education affordability gap and filling a need for a qualified workforce in Nebraska. SCC empowers and transforms its students and diverse communities by offering more than 50 programs of study on campuses in Beatrice, Lincoln, and Milford. Learn more at www.southeast.edu, or contact the Lincoln campus at (402) 471-3333.