Washtenaw

Agnes & Stephen Reading gift additional $1 million for WCC nursing students, now funding 20 full-ride scholarships

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 9, 2024

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Jan. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Agnes and Stephen Reading have endowed an additional $1 million to double the size of the Reading Nursing Scholarship program for Washtenaw Community College (WCC) students.

Key Points: 
  • ANN ARBOR, Mich., Jan. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Agnes and Stephen Reading have endowed an additional $1 million to double the size of the Reading Nursing Scholarship program for Washtenaw Community College (WCC) students.
  • The Ann Arbor philanthropists and WCC President Dr. Rose B. Bellanca today announced the gift on campus alongside student benefactors.
  • The Reading Nursing Scholarship endowment now totals $2 million and provides 20 full-ride nursing scholarships each year for WCC students.
  • In 2022, the couple established the Reading Scholars program with a $1 million endowment to cover tuition, books, uniforms, clinical fees and other costs for nursing students.

Lighthouse Connections Academy Recognizes More Than 140 Graduates From Across Michigan

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, June 21, 2023

TROY, Mich., June 21, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Michigan's Lighthouse Connections Academy's Class of 2023 was recently honored at an in-person graduation ceremony at Washtenaw Community College. All of the graduates online public school had the opportunity to accept their diplomas and toss their caps in recognition of this milestone accomplishment.

Key Points: 
  • All of the graduates online public school had the opportunity to accept their diplomas and toss their caps in recognition of this milestone accomplishment.
  • "The Class of 2023 is the fifth graduating class from Lighthouse Connections Academy and I continue to marvel at the work our students complete," said Lighthouse Connections Academy Executive Director Teresa Woods.
  • Among this year's Lighthouse Connections Academy seniors 36% plan to attend a 2- or 4- year college or university, 17% plan to enter the workforce and 16% plan to attend vocational or technical school.
  • Families interested in Michigan's Lighthouse Connections Academy are encouraged to attend an online information session to learn more, ask questions and discover if virtual school is the right fit for their student.

Eastern Michigan University to establish new STEM Institute in collaboration with Toyota's Driving Possibilities initiative and community school districts

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, June 8, 2023

YPSILANTI, Mich., June 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- To keep up with the growing popularity of STEM occupations, Eastern Michigan University was selected by Toyota's Driving Possibilities initiative to collaborate with Lincoln Consolidated and Ypsilanti Community Schools, both part of the Washtenaw Intermediate School District, on an initiative to prepare youth for in-demand science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers.

Key Points: 
  • Toyota's Driving Possibilities initiative is investing nearly $10 million over the next five years in southeast Michigan.
  • The initial funds will be distributed between two community partners, including EMU's College of Education for a newly created STEM Institute.
  • Eastern's community-focused STEM Institute will serve as a hub to deploy STEM resources to and from the school districts and three institutions of higher learning in the area.
  • To learn more about Toyota's $110 million dollar commitment to Driving Possibilities, visit ToyotaEffect.com for the latest information.

Lincoln and Ypsilanti Schools, Toyota, Eastern Michigan University Collaborate to Launch Driving Possibilities in Southeast Michigan

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, June 8, 2023

YORK TOWNSHIP, Mich., June 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lincoln Consolidated and Ypsilanti Community Schools, both part of Washtenaw Intermediate School District (Washtenaw ISD), are collaborating with Toyota* and Eastern Michigan University (EMU) to prepare youth for the careers of tomorrow. The southeast Michigan collaboration falls under Toyota's Driving Possibilities initiative as a five-year phased rollout in Ypsilanti and Lincoln communities.

Key Points: 
  • The southeast Michigan collaboration falls under Toyota's Driving Possibilities initiative as a five-year phased rollout in Ypsilanti and Lincoln communities.
  • As part of a $110 million initiative dedicated to Toyota's Driving Possibilities , the Toyota USA Foundation is granting nearly $10 million over the next five years in southeast Michigan.
  • "It's exciting to see the expansion of Driving Possibilities near our Michigan R&D facilities, the first location announced out of the 14 additional U.S. sites planned."
  • To learn more about Toyota's $110 million dollar commitment to Driving Possibilities, visit ToyotaEffect.com for the latest information.

Donna Doleman Dickerson Named Chair of Trinity Health Michigan Board of Directors

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 28, 2023

ANN ARBOR, Mich., March 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Trinity Health Michigan has announced the appointment of Donna Doleman Dickerson as the new chair of its Board of Directors.

Key Points: 
  • ANN ARBOR, Mich., March 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Trinity Health Michigan has announced the appointment of Donna Doleman Dickerson as the new chair of its Board of Directors.
  • Donna has served on the St. Joseph Mercy Health System Regional Board since 2017 and on the Trinity Health Michigan Statewide Board since 2019.
  • "It is an honor to serve in the role of chair on the Board of Trinity Health Michigan," said Dickerson.
  • "Under Rob Casalou's leadership, Trinity Health Michigan has worked tirelessly to prioritize the health and wellbeing of communities throughout Michigan.

Washtenaw Community College students save $10 million in textbook costs with OER program

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 2, 2023

ANN ARBOR, Mich., March 02, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Washtenaw Community College’s (WCC) program to help students earn degrees, certificates and general education credits with little or no textbook costs has recently surpassed the $10 million savings mark.

Key Points: 
  • ANN ARBOR, Mich., March 02, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Washtenaw Community College’s (WCC) program to help students earn degrees, certificates and general education credits with little or no textbook costs has recently surpassed the $10 million savings mark.
  • Instead of a traditional textbook that can cost hundreds of dollars, students use free OER textbooks adapted by WCC faculty or other textbook alternatives.
  • Globally, Open Education Week will be observed March 6-10, and WCC has much to celebrate, namely $10.1 million in textbook savings since the program began.
  • The study showed that 64% of students simply did not buy the required textbook for class, and 43% reported taking fewer courses because of textbook costs.

Aisha Bowe is The First Black Woman Confirmed to Fly To Space With Blue Origin

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, October 27, 2022

WASHINGTON, Oct. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Former NASA rocket scientist, founder, and CEO Aisha Bowe is manifested on a future flight of New Shepard. She is the first Black woman confirmed to travel on a commercial flight to space with Blue Origin, the private spaceflight company founded by Jeff Bezos. New Shepard is a reusable suborbital rocket system named after astronaut Alan Shepard, the first American to go to space.

Key Points: 
  • She is the first Black woman confirmed to travel on a commercial flight to space with Blue Origin, the private spaceflight company founded by Jeff Bezos.
  • New Shepard is a reusable suborbital rocket system named after astronaut Alan Shepard, the first American to go to space.
  • Bowe is expected to be the sixth Black woman to cross the Krmn line, the internationally recognized boundary of space.
  • Her flight is announced 30 years after former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison became the first Black woman to travel to space in 1992.

Millennium Infrastructure Fund Raising Cap from $30M to $75M to Meet Additional Demands on Broadband Construction

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, October 5, 2022

DELAVAN, Wis., Oct. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Facilitating broadband deployment in areas of rural America has ignited grant funding options for broadband construction businesses. The Millennium Infrastructure Fund is raising its cap on the fund from $30M to $75M to meet the additional demands of construction loans and capital matches for providers to secure grants.

Key Points: 
  • DELAVAN, Wis., Oct. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Facilitating broadband deployment in areas of rural America has ignited grant funding options for broadband construction businesses.
  • The Millennium Infrastructure Fund is raising its cap on the fund from $30M to $75M to meet the additional demands of construction loans and capital matches for providers to secure grants.
  • As the FCC compiles more accurate census maps, the requirement for broadband construction in rural areas continues to expand.
  • The Millennium Infrastructure Fund increased the cap to meet the needs of those businesses depending on financing options.

Washtenaw Community College Deploys YuJa Enterprise Video Platform to Serve More Than 18,000 Students Campuswide

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, August 17, 2022

Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Washtenaw Community College has selected the YuJa Enterprise Video Platform to replace its former solution, Ensemble Video, which was acquired and ended development for its educational video platform.

Key Points: 
  • Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Washtenaw Community College has selected the YuJa Enterprise Video Platform to replace its former solution, Ensemble Video, which was acquired and ended development for its educational video platform.
  • The ed-tech solution will be rolled out to the institutions more than 18,000 students in Washtenaw County, Michigan, and beyond.
  • Established in 1965, Washtenaw Community College, Ann Arbor, Michigan, is one of the nations premier community colleges.
  • The college has an annual enrollment of more than 18,000 students in credit classes each year, and thousands more in Economic and College Development classes.

$1 million gift from Agnes & Stephen Reading creates 10 full-ride nursing scholarships annually at WCC

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, December 16, 2021

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Dec. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A $1 million gift to the Washtenaw Community College Foundation by Agnes and Stephen Reading will fund 10 annual full-ride scholarships for WCC nursing students.

Key Points: 
  • ANN ARBOR, Mich., Dec. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A $1 million gift to the Washtenaw Community College Foundation by Agnes and Stephen Reading will fund 10 annual full-ride scholarships for WCC nursing students.
  • Ensuring excellent nursing care for people in our community is of utmost importance to us," Stephen Reading said.
  • "We are beyond thrilled the Readings have made this very generous gift to WCC and our nursing students," said President Dr. Rose B. Bellanca.
  • Not only is it a bargain, but WCC has an excellent reputation for its rigorous nursing program," said Agnes Reading.